So, Mmusi Maimane wrote to the Integrity Vice President of the World Bank, Leornard McCarthy, asking him to look in to the ANC’s Chancellor House’s involvement in the Eskom and Hitachi deal.

Now, while the World Bank did not finance the deal, it is their right and indeed prerogative to investigate and situation where World Bank funds might have been put at risk – the World Bank has loaned Eskom billions during the time that the Hitachi deals were running –, according to Zandile Ratshitanga, the Bank’s senior spokesperson.

 “For projects financed by the World Bank Group we have an Integrity Vice Presidency that investigates allegations of fraud and corruption but that would apply only to project components that we have financed. The World Bank takes all allegations of fraud and corruption very seriously. Although the Hitachi contract was not financed by the World Bank, our Integrity Vice Presidency is assessing the matter to see whether any World Bank funds were put at risk.”

If it turns out that Maimane was right to involve the World Bank and indict the ANC at the same time, it would prove most beneficial for his career as not only a local, but international politician. Overseas sentiment is drifting further and further from a positive view of the ANC-led government, so this move might be a pretty decent play at positioning himself as the future leader of SA.

For now though, Maimane remains the leader of the opposition and has also approached Thuli Madonsela to investigate the scandal.

Via MyBroadband