The Eastern Cape African National Congress's (ANC's) provincial executive committee has asked Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Public Works MEC Babalo Madikizela to submit reports to the party's provincial integrity commission after they were implicated in a Public Protector report. 

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Friday released her report into the misuse of funds intended for the memorial service of struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. 

The provincial government had paid R1.1-million to the Mbizana Local Municipality to help transport members of the public to the memorial service. This money was later transferred into another account. 

Mabuyane benefitted when R450 000 from the R1.1-million was used to help finance renovations to his East London home. He is the chairperson of the ANC in the Eastern Cape.

Mkhwebane found that Madikizela received R350 000. The money was transferred to the bank account of a company owned by his wife. 

The investigation also found that R288 000 was paid into the ANC's fundraising account. The Eastern Cape PEC met on Monday in a special meeting.

The provincial structure said it had received reports from Mabuyane and Madikizela. Both men indicated that they would take Mkhwebane's report on judicial review. 

"The ANC fully respects their legal and constitutional rights as South African citizens to seek recourse," the PEC said in a statement on Tuesday. 

In 2019, when media reports surfaced about the allegations against Mabuyane and Madikizela, both men had presented reports to the provincial integrity commission (PIC). The PIC cleared both of any wrongdoing. 

The PIC said it would reopen the matter after Mabuyane and Madikizela were asked to submit updated reports following Mkhwebane's investigation. 

The PIC would then make a further decision on the matter, the organisation said. 

While the Eastern Cape PEC said it respected the Public Protector's office, it raised suspicions about the timing of Mkhwebane's report. 

The PEC raised concerns that she had decided to release the report weeks before the municipal elections. 

"It is unfortunate that the report of the Public Protector (PP) is released on the verge of the local government elections when it was finalised two months back. This stance and timing regrettably weaponised the belief that the PP is a party to intra-party and external factionalism," the PEC said.

The PEC said it would act decisively on any developments related to the corruption allegations.