Johannesburg - Disgraced former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni, who resigned from his position this week following his arrest by the Scorpions on charges of corruption, put the blame squarely on certain ANC leaders within his movement, who, he alleged, are on a witch-hunt.

The shock pronouncement by Yengeni is likely to cause a stir within the organisation as this is the first public announcement showing the movement's leaders seem divided over the investigation of Yengeni and the arms deal controversy.

Yengeni said he had discovered a pattern which reveals certain ANC leaders, including President Thabo Mbeki, were victims of an internal witch-hunt.

He said certain individuals in the party used the media to carry out their "dirty business" of portraying ANC leaders as "corrupt and useless". Other leaders he alleged were being villified include, among others, Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete, KwaZulu-Natal ANC leaders S'bu Ndebele and Dumisani Makhaye, and Western Cape provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha.

To quit politics

Yengeni told City Press in an exclusive interview he would "seriously consider" quitting politics for a private sector job as soon as his trial on the fraud probe and arms deal was over. Yengeni, who has consistently proclaimed his innocence, launched a scathing attack on the national directorate of public prosecution, saying its investigators "are lily-white from the old (apartheid) order".

According to Yengeni, the directorate and its crime-busting arm, the Scorpions, headed by Bulelani Ngcuka, had joined the witch-hunt against ANC leaders.

"Instead of focusing on crime syndicates such as drug and stolen car smugglers, the Scorpions are investigating and arresting ANC leaders. One thing you must realise is that in the new South Africa, it is fashionable that if an individual has to be approved and win accolades for doing a good job, one must stand and be seen to be against the ANC and its leaders," he alleged.

Pressed to comment further on why he thought Ngcuka would allow such action, Yengeni said: "There are some people who grew up in the tradition of the ANC who are spineless and useless. So, I think, for Bulelani (Ngcuka) to allow such things (Yengeni's grilling and subsequent arrest) to happen before his eyes, one needs to ask the question 'what's going on'."

White investigating team

Yengeni said he made it a point to inform Ngcuka he was not happy with the fact the staff members who interviewed him were"100  percent white".

"I told the panel I don't understand how in the new South Africa you can have a completely white team investigating me."

While Yengeni vowed to submit to the law, he questioned the timing of his arrest on Wednesday, saying he was confused why it had to take place while the investigation was going on and the report had not yet been finalised.

"It is a problem that the report has not yet been released. They (Ngcuka, public protector Selby Baqwa and auditor-general Shauket Fakie, who are investigating allegations of irregularities in the arms procurement process) kept on postponing the release of the report. One doesn't know why.

"'The view of the ANC was that we would study the report as soon as it was released. Now the report is not yet out, but we see certain things happening - I am being arrested."

Yengeni did not want to comment on why the other "30 VIP officials" who are reported to have similarly received exorbitant discounts on their Mercedes-Benzes, have not been arrested.

'I will fight back'

"But for whatever reason they (the investigators) may have in mind, they should not think they will make me a scapegoat or a fall guy. It's a terrible mistake; I will fight back."

Regarding his actions in Parliament, Yengeni said it was a "pure lie" that he refused to co-operate with the national legislature, especially the ethics committee.

He had responded to all the questions from the ethics committee, which was seeking clarity on, among other things, why Yengeni had not registered his 4x4 Mercedes-Benz as a gift before he began paying for it.

Yengeni stressed it was possible that the committee was not satisfied with the response he provided.

He observed the arms deal saga had subjected his image to a battering, both locally and internationally.

"I sometimes receive calls from abroad, people asking me about this thing. I think to damage my name was the only intention because I was not involved in the arms deal. How can I be charged when I was not involved in taking decisions (regarding the awarding of contracts) in the arms deal?"

Yengeni said he would seek retribution against the people who had initiated the allegations against him.

"All those people who made these wild allegations and sent the whole country on a fishing expedition and wild goose chase, should be held responsible - whatever that means."

Regarding the origin of the alleged witch-hunt against him, he said there were some people in politics who, for whatever reason, want to climb the ladder on the backs of others. "Some are jealous about other people's successes. This is happening in the ANC," he said. "I am sure there are people in the ANC who celebrated over glasses of champagne about what is happening around me. According to these people, I have long been found guilty and I should be hanged."

Apartheid hitman working for Scorpions

He emphasised that former apartheid prosecutors and some members of the former special branch members were using their positions in the Scorpions unit to render ANC leaders useless in the eyes of the people.

Yengeni says he was astounded when he visited the Scorpions' office and discovered one of the prosecutors who presided over his case when he was charged for treason and terrorism in 1987, was working for the Scorpions.

"He came to greet me and I was shocked when he told me he was working for the Scorpions. So you find people who prosecuted and persecuted us [during the struggle] are now part of the Scorpions."

Yengeni said the ANC had held several discussions on backbiting and attacks between members of the organisation, but these had not rectified the problem.

He blamed these developments on a new culture of seeking money and positions.

He also admitted the allegations against him had caused embarrassment to the ANC and himself. But he would not take responsibility for such embarrassment because had not initiated the process.

"I am not the one who made the allegations. So why should I be held resonsible?" he said, adding those who had made the allegations should be held accountable.  

With acknowledgment to Mpumelelo Mkhabela, City Press and News24.