Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda has left the growing spat between himself and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi to the ruling party.
The Cosatu leader recently slammed corrupt ministers and purportedly alluded to Nyanda as being among them.
Department of Communications (DOC) spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso says the decision was made in light of a plan of action taken by the ANC's National Working Committee (NWC). The NWC had condemned Vavi's “unsubstantiated utterances” and decided to have the ANC leadership deal with the matter politically, according to the DOC.
The department says Nyanda feels relieved by the committee's decision. "As a disciplined member and leader of the ANC, I support and am bound by the position of the NWC on Mr Vavi's defamatory utterances, which he made against me personally and in my capacity as a Cabinet minister, a position in which I serve at the behest of my organisation.”
Nyanda adds that he has instructed his attorneys to stay the proceedings on this matter so the ANC process can unfold without interference, and so he can focus his time and efforts on his ministerial duties.
"The NWC decision has taken the burden of clearing my name against these false statements off my shoulders. I'm confident that the leadership of the ANC will deal with this matter properly,” says the minister.
Nyanda's spotlight
The minister regarded the accusations as defamatory and had his lawyers send a letter to Vavi, giving him a deadline by which he should publicly retract the necessary statements.
Vavi's lawyers responded with a letter saying that he refuses to apologise.
Nyanda has been in the spotlight recently after allegations surfaced that he had spent R500 000 on lavish hotels, has a 50% stake in General Nyanda Security Advisory Services, which has won tenders worth about R123 million, and owns shares worth R80 000 in mobile operator MTN.
Transnet Freight Rail CEO Siyabonga Gama was recently sacked, after being found guilty of irregularly awarding a R19 million tender to General Nyanda Security Advisory Services.
However, the value of the contract spiralled beyond the initial R19 million, and GNS was paid R55 million in total, over a 20-month period, after the contract was signed in December 2007, according to public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan, who replied to questions in Parliament, in December.
Beyond apology
"In line with the rule of law and our Constitution, everyone can invoke processes and avenues made available by the law to hold public representatives like myself accountable. Invoking slander and libel only serves to undermine our democracy and its foundations," says Nyanda.
Rikhotso says the matter has now gone beyond an apology and the ANC, which is “bigger than both individuals”, can handle the situation.
Patrick Craven, Cosatu spokesman, says Cosatu was not specifically accusing someone of being corrupt, but was pointing out to the ruling party that there have been allegations of corruption, which must be investigated.
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