that’s my lifestyle. I’ve got guys dealing with tenders full time. I’m not
ashamed to say that’s my lifestyle.’^12
Magashule seemingly viewed himself as the source of the largesse
bestowed on companies like TTC, and he apparently demanded
reciprocity from the likes of Mokoena.
One source, a member of the Free State business fraternity, attended a
gathering of about fifty contractors at Magashule’s office in
Bloemfontein in early 2014 , before that year’s general election.
Magashule had invited his favourite friends from the business sector to
ask them for a special favour. ‘Ace told us we needed to make financial
contributions to the ANC for the upcoming elections,’ this source told
me. ‘He said the ANC had been good to our companies, and that he
would close the money taps if we didn’t support the ANC.’
The businesspeople were asked to each pledge an amount. It was
reminiscent of the Free State ANC provincial conference in 2008 , when
Magashule demanded that party members and invited guests donate
towards Zuma’s legal fees. According to my source at the 2014
gathering, Mokoena was among those who made the largest pledges to
the ANC.
Mokoena said he wouldn’t comment on ‘alleged rumours’ and would
only respond to ‘factual allegations made by identified persons’.
One ‘identified person’ was willing to discuss allegedly dubious
dealings between Mokoena and Magashule. Mxolisi Dukwana, a
former Free State MEC, told me Mokoena once ‘pledged’ to donate R 1
million to the ANC. This was before the Regime Change bloc’s failed
attempt in 2012 to topple Magashule and his allies. As the ruling
party’s then treasurer in the Free State, Dukwana was tasked with
managing and collecting such contributions. ‘The money was to be
nora
(Nora)
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