IOL
*Malema trust is 'no secret' * *Staff Reporters, IOL, Johannnesburg, 25 July 2011*THE ANCYL today has acknowledged the existence of a trust of which its leader Julius Malema is the founding trustee, but claims it was never a secret.
At a press conference in Joburg today league secretary Sindiso Magaqa said the ANCYL and Malema were open to investigation by Sars and other law enforcement agencies.
Malema was not at the conference, but sent his executive to answer claims published in City Press yesterday.
Malema faces multiple probes into whether he has used the Ratanang Family Trust -- reportedly named for his son -- to receive kickbacks from business people in exchange for helping them win tenders.
On Saturday he lost a bid to prevent City Press from publishing its revelations about the trust. His lawyers told the South Gauteng High Court Malema did not object to the trust being revealed, but to the suggestion he had received illicit payments.
Magaqa said allegations should be made with authorities and not to newspapers.
"The trust is registered with the Master of the High Court and its public," he said.
Magaqa said Malema remained the "commander-in-chief of economic freedom fighters".
He said the allegations against Malema were an attempt to divert the ANCYL's attention from its call to nationalise mines, and the expropriation of land.
ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola agreed that Malema was a public figure, but said he was not a public representative and therefore could not be scrutinised in the same manner.
However, he too asked anyone who had proof of wrongdoing on the part of Malema or the ANCYL to take it to the police and other authorities.
ANCYL treasurer-general Pule Mabe said Malema was the founding trustee of the Ratanang Family Trust and that there were "others" in the trust.
Mabe said the allegations in City Press were made by faceless people.After The Star published a report last week about Malema spending R16 million on a Sandown property, Malema said his finances were nobody's else's business since he was not a public servant.
On Saturday, Judge Colin Lamont held that Malema was a public figure and that his big spending had long fuelled speculation that he was receiving significant funds from elsewhere.
Malema has claimed to exist on a R20 000 salary from the youth league, and "handouts".
ANC alliance partner Cosatu and the official opposition DA called for multiple probes into the allegations.
City Press reported that the Ratanang Family Trust was registered in the Office of the Master of the High Court in Pretoria on May 13, 2008, five weeks after Malema was elected league president.
The paper cited two unnamed sources it said had knowledge of Malema's business dealings. It said one had told the paper he had deposited R200 000 into the trust's bank account in return for a government tender that was awarded to him and that he had said he knew of at least 20 other business people who had done the same.
Police confirmed yesterday that Afrikaner rights group AfriForum had lodged a charge of corruption against Malema at the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria yesterday.
The Young Communist League (YCL) yesterday added its voice to the calls for investigations into Malema's financial dealings.
The trust fund, the paper reported, also owned a 3.5-hectare smallholding outside Polokwane, which was bought for R900 000 in cash in June last year and that many other payments were allegedly made to Malema in return for his help in securing government tenders and to drive political agendas.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu described the allegations as "very serious" and "concerning" and said Malema would have to answer to the party.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe suggested that if Malema believed the newspaper reports were false he should take legal action against the publishers.
He added that Malema would be subjected to the internal processes to establish whether there was any truth to the reports.
He said he could "not condemn Julius as corrupt" but added that "corruption is a criminal offence and any person alleged to be corrupt should be charged, investigated, arrested and convicted".
And as calls mounted for Malema to be investigated, the league's website appeared to have been hacked yesterday.
It featured Malema, roaring with laughter, with the message: "HA HA HA, I have a 16 Million Rand house and all of you don't!"
DA MP Dianne Dianne Kohler Barnard said she intended writing to the Public Protector today to ask her to investigate the claims against Malema.
Cosatu called for the allegations to be investigated by the ANC's committee on ethics and members' interests, Sars and the Special Investigations Unit into the allegations. The ACDP's Youth Foundation said Malema's source of income was of concern to many South Africans and rumours that he wielded a lot of influence among government officials, especially in Limpopo, had been circulating since he became youth president.
"It is now evident that he has used this influence to enrich himself." *From: http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/malema-trust-is-no-secret-1.1105367* ** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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