Nathi Nhleko has resigned from the ANC, blaming the party’s Fikile Mbalula for being one of the reasons behind his decision. Image: SABC News.
Nathi Nhleko’s career lows: From fire pool to fired
Nathi Nhleko’s career nosedive epitomises unchecked loyalties, marred by corruption allegations and mismanagement.
Nathi Nhleko has resigned from the ANC, blaming the party’s Fikile Mbalula for being one of the reasons behind his decision. Image: SABC News.
Former minister of police Nathi Nhleko resigned from the ANC on Monday 4 March 2024. In his walking papers, Nhleko said that he found it painful to witness the ANC’s changes, criticising the party’s adoption of austerity measures and the dismantling of state-owned companies.
Nhleko’s Departure Signals Disillusionment with ANC
Nhleko cited in his resignation that another reason that he came to a decision of leaving the ANC was an apparent heated exchange of words with the ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula.
Nhleko said Mbalula made remarks about covering up for former president Jacob Zuma with regard to the Nkandla issue and had contributed to his decision to leave the governing party.
Mbalula said in a tweet: “I see Nathi Nhleko has resigned from the ANC and he blame it on me. What a cheap wayout ,This fellow told the whole country that a swimming pool is a firepool, He replaced a competent police officer [Anwar] Dramat crime fighter with an apartheid disastrous erratic cop called Berning Ntlemeza [former head of the Hawks] whom i showed the door immediately when i took over as police minister. Wait till i tell you what he advised me to do at a handover meeting.”
“I see Nathi Nhleko strutting like a peacock calling his shameful report on Nkandla a ‘research’. No shame at all – this guy was reprimanded for that report by the highest court in the landed [sic],” said Mbalula.
Career Takes a Hit
Nhleko’s political career has been riddled by controversies, from his involvement in the infamous Nkandla upgrades to his recent resignation from the ANC. His career took a drastic, turn marked by scandals and the ANC’s issues.
One of the defining moments of Nhleko’s career was during his tenure as minister of police under former president Jacob Zuma’s administration.
Nhleko faced immense scrutiny for his role in the Nkandla scandal, where millions of taxpayer rands were spent on upgrading Zuma’s private residence, including the construction of a so-called “fire pool”.
This fire pool, purportedly built for firefighting purposes, became a symbol of the excessive spending and corruption that plagued Zuma’s presidency.
SABC News reported that Nhleko’s handling of the Nkandla investigation further tarnished his reputation. In a widely criticized move, he exonerated Zuma of any wrongdoing, absolving him of the responsibility to repay the public funds used for the upgrades.
This decision sparked outrage among opposition parties and civil society groups, who accused Nhleko of whitewashing the scandal to protect Zuma and the ANC’s interests.
