ANC Wins as Miners Starve

Worker kills himself over unpaid salary - then Zuma's nephew promises R1m to ruling party.....

Apr 10, 2011 

President Jacob Zuma's nephew, Khulubuse, who owes 100 miners more than R4.5-million in wages, pledged R1-million to the ANC at a fund-raising dinner in Durban on Friday. 

 

 

Khulubuse Zuma

Khulubuse, who co-owns mining group Aurora Empowerment Systems with former president Nelson Mandela's grandson, Zondwa, made the pledge on the same day as trade union Solidarity revealed that a miner had committed suicide by drinking ant poison because the company had failed to pay him. 

 Zondwa Mandela

The fundraiser, held at the five-star Fairmont Hotel & Resort in Zimbali, north of Durban, was attended by ANC leaders, empowerment beneficiaries and other corporate executives.

Those present ate fish, roast lamb and beef. Dessert included tiramisu, poached pears and an assortment of cakes. The most popular beverage was Hennessy cognac. 

Khulubuse confirmed that he had pledged R1-million to the ruling party. 

"If there are any means to support the ANC, we will do so, no matter what," he said. 

However, he refused to comment on the shambles at the company's Grootvlei Mine in Gauteng and at Orkney in North West. 

"I was doing a favour by phoning you about the donation. You can write anything you want about Aurora. I don't want to comment about that

 .

"There are so many other things that I am busy with. So you want to write that Khula pledged R1-million, but there are unpaid workers at Aurora. You're dirty, my brother," he said. 

The provincial spokesman for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, Makhosi Khoza, yesterday declined to say how much was raised at the dinner. 

"The good news is that we want to confirm that we did have a good fundraising dinner ... and that all those present pledged their support to the ANC beyond just their financial pledges." 

Those at the lavish dinner said that more than R5-million was raised, with the Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale, promising R1-million. 

Several privates companies are said to have pledged between R100000 and R2-million.

One of those, RGZ Projects, promised to give the ANC R100000. The firm has been linked to an investigation into alleged financial irregularities and tender fraud in the eThekwini (DURBAN) municipality. 

But it was the high-flying Khulubuse's pledge that attracted much interest. His company is in trouble for failing to pay its workers at Grootvlei and Orkney.

Aurora is due to appear before parliament's portfolio committee on mineral resources on Wednesday regarding the problems at the two mines, which include failing to pay workers, alleged asset-stripping and environmental problems. Aurora Mines Stripped of Assets

In October last year, the Sunday Times reported that Zuma's nephew owned some of the world's most desirable cars in his personal fleet of 19 vehicles, including two BMW 750i sedans worth about R1.1-million each. 

He also turned heads when he drove a R2.5-million red gull-winged Mercedes-Benz SLS 63 AMG to the lavish wedding of national police commissioner Bheki Cele last year. 

Like father like son........ the apple does not fall far from the tree of corruption.....

http://www.timeslive.co.za/specialreports/elections2011/article1010876.ece/ANC-wins-as-miners-starve