Hundreds of disgruntled ANC members in Buffalo City Metro have vowed to make East London ungovernable if the party’s leadership does not dissolve its regional structure.And if the matter was not resolved before the elections, “We are not going to the local elections to put corrupt people in office,” said former ANC Youth League leader Mziwonke Ndabeni, who was addressing a mini-rally at Gompo Stadium on Saturday.
More than 1000 ANC members attended the rally, where placards calling for Pumlani Mkolo’s removal were on display.
Mkolo is accused of being the mastermind when R5.9-million was allegedly swindled from BCM’s coffers. The money was meant to fund the memorial services for late statesman Nelson Mandela.
At the rally were ANC members from all 50 BCM wards who are challenging the legitimacy of the Xola Pakathi-led regional executive committee (REC), which was elected at Alexander Golf Club in November.
Addressing the crowd, the ANC’s Bonisile Norushe said legitimate ANC members had been excluded at the conference.
When the “rebel” group convened their own elective conference two weeks later, all the executive members were charged “for bringing the ANC into disrepute”.
Their disciplinary hearing is scheduled for next Sunday.
Norushe said they had tried to convene a meeting, as ANC veterans, between the provincial leaders and those charged, “but the PEC did not turn up for the meeting. The best way to deal with this was for the ANC leaders to come and listen to the side of the story of those who are now facing charges. But they did not; instead they have been charged”.
He said ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle, who admitted to having received R250000 of the money meant for the memorial services for Mandela, deserved to be grilled by the ANC integrity committee.
“That cash was in Phumulo’s account for 40 days. He never accounted for the interest he received when the money was in his private bank account,” said Norushe.
The group’s main concern is that three of the 30-member BCM ANC REC face criminal charges for their alleged involvement in swindling money from the Mandela memorial fund. Those facing charges include the newly elected ANC deputy chairwoman and BCM speaker, Luleka Simon-Ndzele, ANC regional secretary Mkolo, and additional member of the REC Sindiswa Gomba.
Ndabeni said they had tried to “talk sense” to the REC and PEC by marching to their offices, “But to date, we have not received any feedback. We are here today to up our game by launching a rolling mass action across this metro”.
“We have adopted Mandela’s 1956 programme. We are going to defy any corrupt leader. All the corrupt leaders of BCM must be defied. We are here today to launch that defiance campaign programme. When we say, ‘Let’s go to Phumulo Masualle’s office in Bhisho’, be there. When we call on you to join us when we shut down BCM municipal offices, make sure you are there. We are going to make this BCM ungovernable.” — zineg@dispatch.co.za
Rally threat to disrupt BCM
And if the matter was not resolved before the elections, “We are not going to the local elections to put corrupt people in office,” said former ANC Youth League leader Mziwonke Ndabeni, who was addressing a mini-rally at Gompo Stadium on Saturday.
More than 1000 ANC members attended the rally, where placards calling for Pumlani Mkolo’s removal were on display.
Mkolo is accused of being the mastermind when R5.9-million was allegedly swindled from BCM’s coffers. The money was meant to fund the memorial services for late statesman Nelson Mandela.
At the rally were ANC members from all 50 BCM wards who are challenging the legitimacy of the Xola Pakathi-led regional executive committee (REC), which was elected at Alexander Golf Club in November.
Addressing the crowd, the ANC’s Bonisile Norushe said legitimate ANC members had been excluded at the conference.
When the “rebel” group convened their own elective conference two weeks later, all the executive members were charged “for bringing the ANC into disrepute”.
Their disciplinary hearing is scheduled for next Sunday.
Norushe said they had tried to convene a meeting, as ANC veterans, between the provincial leaders and those charged, “but the PEC did not turn up for the meeting. The best way to deal with this was for the ANC leaders to come and listen to the side of the story of those who are now facing charges. But they did not; instead they have been charged”.
He said ANC provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle, who admitted to having received R250000 of the money meant for the memorial services for Mandela, deserved to be grilled by the ANC integrity committee.
“That cash was in Phumulo’s account for 40 days. He never accounted for the interest he received when the money was in his private bank account,” said Norushe.
The group’s main concern is that three of the 30-member BCM ANC REC face criminal charges for their alleged involvement in swindling money from the Mandela memorial fund. Those facing charges include the newly elected ANC deputy chairwoman and BCM speaker, Luleka Simon-Ndzele, ANC regional secretary Mkolo, and additional member of the REC Sindiswa Gomba.
Ndabeni said they had tried to “talk sense” to the REC and PEC by marching to their offices, “But to date, we have not received any feedback. We are here today to up our game by launching a rolling mass action across this metro”.
“We have adopted Mandela’s 1956 programme. We are going to defy any corrupt leader. All the corrupt leaders of BCM must be defied. We are here today to launch that defiance campaign programme. When we say, ‘Let’s go to Phumulo Masualle’s office in Bhisho’, be there. When we call on you to join us when we shut down BCM municipal offices, make sure you are there. We are going to make this BCM ungovernable.” — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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