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22 MPS KNEW ABOUT MP BACEDE’S ARREST

By Mhlonishwa Hlophe | 2020-08-09

At least 22 Members of Parliament (MPs) knew about the arrest of MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza before it subsequently happened on Wednesday morning.

MP Mabuza allegedly informed the legislators about the plan that led to his apparent arrest. This was also confirmed on Wednesday in Parliament after the Senate seat elections, where an MP disclosed to this newspaper that some of them were not surprised by the MP’s arrest.

The MP said MP Mabuza had informed them prior.

The Hosea MP also told the Sunday Observer that he broke the news to his colleagues on Monday over lunch in Matsapha. He went on to allege that a certain clique in Parliament was behind his arrest.

According to the legislator, he sensed that something was about to befall him, and hastily made numerous calls to his colleagues, asking for a meeting over lunch in Matsapha. He said his intention was to inform them about the planned arrest.

He started having the feeling that certain individuals were plotting to have him arrested. He claimed it all came to him in the form of a vision.

He decided to share the vision with his colleagues, as part of a strategy to ensure that the MPs continued with the initial plan should he not make it Wednesday’s the election. The MP then sensationally disclosed that he informed the legislators that should his younger brother, Sifiso Mabuza fail to make it to the final list of nominees, they should not hesitate to vote for Jimmy Hlophe, who eventually became the winner of the seat at Senate.

“After having satisfied myself that indeed I would be arrested, and I would not be in Parliament on Wednesday, I asked my colleagues to make sure they see our plan to fruition,” he told this newspaper.

“I want to explicitly state that a certain clique in Parliament was behind my arrest.

They also schemed to have my younger brother disqualified for the elections. I am aware of that, I even brought it to the MPs’ attention and also asked them to make sure they vote for Jimmy Hlophe,” stated the MP.

Mabuza, astonishingly, disclosed that there were factions in Parliament, although he was reluctant to disclose the names nor elaborate on the allegations.

He narrated that there was this faction which was a bully towards other legislators.

He said it always pushes for its own agendas, not public interest, something he labelled selfish and inconsiderate as they are in Parliament because of the people. He alleged that the public will soon get to know of this group’s ulterior motives and their intentions would be known and the public would be the judge.

On his younger brother’s disqualification, MP Mabuza said as much as his younger brother wanted to partake in the elections, the odds were against him.

“We had a plan in place, especially in the event Sifiso failed to make it to the list. I want to state for the record that the claims that we were buying this election are completely false. People should not assume that we wanted to buy the vote,” he said, sternly.

The MP further added that he and his colleagues had voted Winile Nxumalo into Senate, and ‘she never paid a cent’.

“The same applies now with Jimmy Hlophe. He did not pay a cent. That shows that there is no sale of votes amongst MPs, as we are guided by standards and principles,” he said.

Meanwhile, MP Mabuza has called upon legislators to always remember the purpose they are in Parliament for.

He advised his colleagues to abstain from pushing selfish objectives at the expense of the electorates. He opined that there are individuals using others for their selfish gains. The MP alleged that these individuals do not want to be challenged.

He said once you challenge them you become a target, and they victimise you. He said once you become a target of this clique you could be in trouble as they have connections in higher powers.

MP Mabuza is currently out on E5 000 bail after his arrest on Wednesday.

Was MP Bacede’s arrest politically-motivated?

It has been presumed that MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza’s arrest was politically motivated.

An MP who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity has alleged that the arrest of the Hosea MP was planned by certain individuals to push their own agendas. He said some of these people are in Parliament.

He accused these individuals of having so much love for money to an extent that they have forsaken their purpose of being in Parliament.

“We noted during debates that these certain individuals always want to have a final word.

“Once you oppose their points they label you names, some go to an extant of telling you that you are a newcomer in Parliament and you are ignorant,” said the MP.

The MP’s younger brother also suggested that his disqualification from the elections was planned, when he accused certain individuals of being behind his disqualification.

Sifiso Mabuza made the allegations in his application, where he was seeking an order to stop the elections, which was dismissed by Judge Cyril Maphanga.

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