Rose Gudhluza, ID Provincial Chairperson for Gauteng, has laid a charge of fraud against former ANC spokesperson Carl Niehaus for forging signatures while he was chief executive of the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (Geda), in an attempt to secure a loan.

The charge was laid at the Johannesburg Central Police Station and the case number is 1527/02/2009.

Gudhluza, also an ID MPL in the Gauteng Legislature, says 'the ID decided to lay the charge against Niehaus after he admitted to the Mail & Guardian that he had forged the signatures.

'We in the Independent Democrats have a no-tolerance approach towards politicians that exploit their power for their own personal benefit,' Ms Gudhluza says.

'Other business people and politicians have gone to jail and faced charges because of the ID's no-tolerance approach towards fraud and corruption and we cannot stand idly by while Niehaus is forgiven and redeployed by the ANC.

'Within the ANC there is a complete erosion of the values and vision that the party fought for in the struggle against Apartheid,' says Gudhluza.

'People are no longer in positions of power to serve the nation and to make sure that they achieve the vision and values of the struggle. They are there to enrich themselves. It is all about money. The ANC has lost its soul.'