ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has denied having any kind of relations with businessman Mthunzi Mdwaba who has accused the former minister and several serving ministers of soliciting a bribe of half a billion rand from him in turn for seeing through a R5 billion rand contract with the department of employment.
Mbalula on Thursday laid criminal charges against Mdwaba and at the Sandton Police station.
He admits knowing Mdwaba but is adamant their ties were casual.
“I know Mthunzi Mdwaba I won’t deny I know him. He’s not my friend, he’s not my business friend,he knows me. I’ve never had under carpet dealings with him, anywhere and I’m saying it here in public, NEVER, ” said a fuming Mbalula also questioning why the businessman did not report the alleged advances by high ranking politicians to law enforcement agencies.
Also accused by Mdwaba is Enoch Godongwana, Blade Nzimande as well as Thulas Nxesi, the ministers of finance, higher education and employment respectively.
Mbalula suggested his relationship with Mdwaba was just over a common love for cycling and was confined to the period he served as minister of sports during period 2010-2017, seven years in total.
“And when I was a minister of sports he was a health fanatic who was cycling doing all of those things and then he used to give me tips about cycling because I was cycling myself. I’ve never had any dealings with him. Why would I say third parties for that matter to do this on my behalf and all of that.
Also on Thursday, Godongwana, through lawyers, wrote to Mdwaba demanding he withdraw the privacy claims and apologise or face legal information action.