- The Free State's interim provincial committee told News24 it was concerned about rumours that people were being funded to cause havoc in the province
- This follows allegations that the ANC's suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule had funded numerous shutdowns across the province to discredit the IPC.
- The provincial task team in the Free Sate is expected to convene a meeting on Tuesday regarding the matter.
The newly established interim task team in the Free State has expressed concerns regarding rumours that suspended ANC Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, is behind the funding of numerous shutdowns taking place in municipalities in the Free State.
One senior official in the task team told News24 that the issue would be discussed at the provincial working committee meeting on Tuesday. And only thereafter the task team would be able to come up with a plan of action as a political structure.
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"I don't want to speculate because there are rumours that Ace was in Harrismith yesterday in a meeting with some organisers of this shut down sponsored by one of his business friends. I still need to verify the facts," the source said.
The interim structure's reaction follows videos that have been circulating on social media showing some angry residents blocking roads and burning tyres in the province - complaining about poor service delivery.
News24 understands that Magashule is being accused of having convened a meeting in Harrismith in the Free State on Sunday, for planning the shutdowns. He's alleged to have encouraged disgruntled businesspeople who are no longer getting contracts from the provincial government to cause havoc.
On Monday, a source close to and ally of Magashule said the rumours linked to Magashule were nothing but a smear-campaign to try and discredit him further. The source said Magashule had nothing to do with the chaos that was brewing in the province
The source said:
Ace Magashule's lawyer, Victor Nkhwashu told News24 that he had no "instruction or knowledge" about the matter involving his client.
Meanwhile, News24 sent questions to Magashule and tried to call him, but he is yet to respond.