No South African, including President Thabo Mbeki, is above the law.

Patricia de Lille and Andrew Feinstein have made allegations that Mbeki may have been involved in corruption, or may have used the arms deal to raise funds for the ANC.

If Mbeki did raise funds for the ANC, all of us genuine members of the ANC will take collective responsibility, but if he used his political position for his personal gain, the ANC and the entire nation must expose and dump him.

No politician in our country must use his position to solicit bribes so that he or she can live a posh life. In the ANC we are not supposed to take bribes.

The ANC has never been a corrupt organisation. Chief Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela have led this movement with integrity.

History has shown that these were good leaders. Therefore, their successors are obliged to be clean like them.

If, indeed, Mbeki was fund-raising from arms companies that won tenders and the money went to build his house, educate his family, service his debts or buy his cars, he must be exposed.

We will allow the due process of the law to take its own course without hindrance and delays.

Genuine

Because we are genuine ANC members, we will call on him to resign and face the might of the law. We will not call for an indemnity. We will encourage the National Prosecuting Authority to charge him.

If he tries to delay and frustrate investigation, we will publicly condemn him. We will not insult the judges of our country, nor intimidate fellow South Africans with death threats if he is found guilty.

But if these allegations are a mischief, those who manufacture and disseminate such lies will be dealt with by history, in the same way it dealt with others at the Hefer Commission. It is good that the ANC has rejected these canards.

PHILLIP MHLONGO
Newlands West

With acknowledgements to Phillip Mhlongo and Sunday Tribune.