BCM councillors face ANC re-vote

Three Buffalo City Metro ward councillors’ jobs are on the line following a decision by ANC regional leaders to implement “fully” recommendations of the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma report.

The report was compiled in 2012 after ANC members across the province complained about the manipulation of candidates’ lists towards the June 2011 local government elections.

The report, of which the Daily Dispatch has a copy, recommended the ANC convene branch general meetings again in:

• BCM’s Ward 12, which covers Mdantsane’s NU1;
• Ward 20, which covers Mdantsane’s NU7 and parts of NU8; and
• Ward 23, which covers Mdantsane’s NU17 and Potsdam.

This was after Dlamini-Zuma’s seven-member team found that ANC processes were flouted when the current incumbents were nominated.

This puts the jobs of ward councillors Landile Vika (ward 12), Sizinzo Madikane (ward 20) and Veliwe Sakube (ward 23) on the line.

BCM ANC regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo confirmed that all implicated ward councillors would only be saved by local ANC members who would have to reconvene branch general meetings (BGMs) and re-vote on the matter by the end of October.

This follows the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) instructions last month for Eastern Cape provincial leaders (PEC) to ensure the recommendations were implemented after party members expressed disappointment that two years on, the report had been gathering dust despite confirmation that party processes were flouted in at least 65 of the 163 cases lodged across the province.

The Dispatch has learnt that Mkolo led the regional working committee after they summoned all 50 branch chairmen/women and secretaries to a meeting on Monday where leaders of the affected branches were instructed to convene BGMs and decide how to effect the recommendations.

Mkolo confirmed convening the meeting, but said it would “be out of order” to discuss with the media who the affected ward councillors were, as the process remains an internal process.

“I am just taking you through the procedure to be followed,” he added. In all three cases the Dlamini-Zuma report found that constitutional processes were not followed.

“ANC processes should be redone,” meaning BGMs should be convened again and three top candidates nominated before taking all three names to a vote.

Mkolo said branch leaders of affected wards had been instructed to convene BGMs who will decide whether it was still relevant to replace the councillors, three years on.

“We have to implement recommendations in full but there are due processes to be followed such as BGMs meeting in order to assess whether the complainants still feel strongly that the affected councillors have to be replaced,” said Mkolo.

He said the affected branches had until the end of October to implement the recommendations.

“We will be able to meet the end of October deadline for branches to meet and decide whether to replace or retain the current ward councillors,” said Mkolo.

Sakube referred the Dispatch to the ANC regional office.

Vika and Madikane could not be reached for comment at the time of writing. — zineg@dispatch.co.za