Local News
PP finds definite conflation of State and party in Operation Hlasela─── 15:55 Thu, 05 May 2016
OFM News
Pretoria - Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found that despite inconclusive evidence that State funds were used to benefit the ANC, there was a definite conflation of State and party in the running of Operation Hlasela.
Operation Hlasela, Premier Ace Magashule's flagship service delivery project, apparently ran concurrently with a privately run project with the same name. This led to confusion among the public, and an unfair benefit to the ANC, as it was impossible to distinguish between the two.
Madonsela found that this confusion, whether intentional or not, was a violation of the Constitution, as well as the Electoral Act. Since the name of the private project had already been changed to Friends of The Free State, after Madonsela consulted with the premier, her remedial action concludes that Magashule must draft rules which prohibit similar conflation in future.
All departments must also ensure future projects draw a clear distinction between party and state.
Earl Coetzee/OFM News
