The ANCYL in the province has welcomed the arrest of Boy Mamabolo, a fierce political enemy of fired youth league president Julius Malema, in connection with fraud amounting to R460000.

Mamabolo, 30, who was bust by the Hawks on Wednesday night, appeared in the Polokwane Regional Court on Thursday on 72 counts of fraud and released on R10000 bail.

He is accused of stealing the money about three years ago from the Limpopo Geographic Names Committee while he was still the chairperson of the body.

ANCYL provincial spokesperson Klaas Mabunda said: “We reported the theft to the police and the Hawks. Theft of public funds has nothing to do with politics, justice must be done. Besides, Mamabolo is not a member of the ANCYL, he has established his own parallel youth league.”

Mamabolo over the weekend admitted that he ran his own league but insisted he was a member of the youth wing. “I have disowned the current leadership of the ANCYL. Remember, they (Mabunda’s ANCYL) held a so-called provincial conference in April last year and we held our own conference on the same day. I was elected the provincial chairperson,” said Mamabolo, a supporter of President Jacob Zuma’s leadership of the ANC.

During his bail application on Thursday, he told the court he was the chairperson of Milo Malatji branch of the ANCYL in Seshego.

It is alleged he defrauded the names committee by withdrawing money as claims for nonexistent meetings, and inflated travel expenses.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Paul Ramaloko said there was a tight case against the suspect.

“The case is at an advance stage of completion. We have been investigating him for some time,” Ramaloko said.

But Mamabolo’s lawyer, Pholoto Seopela, said his client intended pleading not guilty to all the charges when he appeared again in court on March 20.

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