ZIWAPHI • VOL 4 NO 4 • 26 FEBRUARY 11 MARCH 2010
NELSPRUIT
The provincial treasurer of the South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) in Mpumalanga, Raymond Makamo, has asked the public to help him hire a defence team for a lawsuit brought against him by ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa.
Phosa wants R1 million in damages and a public apology after Makamo allegedly accused the senior ANC leader of being behind political instability in the province.
A week ago, Makamo allegedly told SABC radio station Ligwalagwala FM that Phosa was paying journalists to write negative stories about Premier David Mabuza, as well as fuelling and funding service delivery protests in the province.
Makamo insists he did not mention Phosa’s name in the interview.
“I am asking the community of Mpumalanga to donate at least R10 per household to help me raise money to pay for an advocate who will help me defend the lawsuit.
“The ANC Women’s League in Ehlanzeni district and people close to me have started the Friends of Makamo team, and they are fundraising to help me,” said Makamo last week.
The Ehlanzeni chairwoman, Letta Shongwe, said the league would support Makamo because he was innocent.
“We will join Friends of Makamo and help to collect from people because we listened to the show and he never mentioned Phosa’s name.
“We believe he needs all the help he can get from us,” said Shongwe.
“I am 100 percent sure that he would not have decided to sue me if he had listened to the show.
“I don’t remember mentioning his name. The person who mentioned Phosa’s name was the journalist I was debating with,” Makamo said.
The ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga’s Gert Sibande district said it “wouldn’t mind” supporting Makamo.
“Though our challenge is common (exposing those behind service delivery protests), we decided to approach it differently than he did. We will expose the people behind the service delivery protests through the relevant structures of the ANC before we go public. “Maybe he should have also taken that approach before going to the radio.
“Otherwise we understand his current position and we won’t mind supporting him,” said regional league spokesman Themba Motlhankana.
Phosa’s lawyer, Ian Small Smith of BDK Attorneys, said last week he was waiting for transcripts of the interview from Ligwalagwala FM before deciding how to continue with the lawsuit.
ACCORDING to information at Ziwaphi’s disposal an account at the First National Bank has been opened at the Riverside branch under the name, Hands Off Makamo Foundation.
Neither Makamo nor the bank could disclose who the trustees of the foundation were.
Ziwaphi also could not establish if the foundation has been registered with either the Master of the High Court or as a Non Profit Organisation.
A legal expert told Ziwaphi that if all the legal requirements have not been complied with, the beneficiary of the funds raised may be subjected to heavy taxation by SARS.
Several ANC members have confirmed receiving SMSes with the banking details and requests for donations.
Phosa accuser asks for donations