In a shock move, former Buffalo City Metro (BCM) council speaker and fraud accused Luleka Simon-Ndzele yesterday resigned from the council for “personal reasons”.
She stated in her letter of resignation that she had effectively stood down on Sunday, April 24.
The letter was supposed to be discussed at a council meeting but it was abandoned when striking municipal workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) marched on the City Hall yesterday.
Addressed to the council speaker, Zoliswa Matana, the letter states: “I, Luleka Ethel Simon-Ndzele, submit my letter of resignation with effect from the date of 24 April 2016 as PR councillor Buffalo City Metro due to personal reasons.
“I wish to appreciate the support, opportunity and confidence that you have on me as a Speaker from 2006 until February 2016.”
She thanked municipal leaders, councillors and officials.
Although the matter was set down on the agenda, it was not discussed in council yesterday and Simon-Ndzele was not present during the sitting.
Simon-Ndzele is facing charges of fraud in connection to the Nelson Mandela funeral funds scandal in which millions of rands approved for memorial and funeral arrangements were allegedly misused in Buffalo City Metro.
She was the council speaker at the time and was later arrested by the Hawks along with co-accused former Buffalo City mayor Zukiswa Ncitha‚ former BCM deputy mayor Themba Tinta‚ former ANC Buffalo City regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo and senior councillor Sindiswa Gomba.
Other co-accused are Ondela Mahlangu‚ Viwe Vazi‚ Dean Fanoe‚ Zintle Nkuhlu and Nosiphiwo Mati.
In February she was demoted by the ANC as a speaker with co-accused Mkolo suspended as regional secretary and replaced by his deputy, Mkhawuleli Maleki, who is acting in the position until the Mandela memorial fund fraud trial is over.
From February Simon-Ndzele was an ordinary councillor who was often vocal about council matters.
Attempts to get comment from her yesterday were not fruitful as both her cellphones were off.
However, chairman of the Dr WB Rubusana region, Xola Pakati, told the Dispatch yesterday the resignation was not in any way related to the ongoing case which was postponed this month until May 23 when a trial date will be set.
Pakati said: “We received the letter earlier from comrade Ndzele indicating her intent to leave the institution. We received the letter about two weeks ago.”
Asked about the reasons behind the resignation Pakati said: “She cited personal reasons and upon that information we accepted the resignation.
“She is going to spend more of her time now doing the ANC work as the deputy chairperson of the region. She cited personal reasons and when a comrade cites personal reasons for resigning we don’t interrogate, you just accept.
“Her resignation is not related to the ongoing case. It is for personal reasons,” Pakati said, adding that council was still to discuss her resignation. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
BCM ex-speaker, fraud accused resigns
She stated in her letter of resignation that she had effectively stood down on Sunday, April 24.
The letter was supposed to be discussed at a council meeting but it was abandoned when striking municipal workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) marched on the City Hall yesterday.
Addressed to the council speaker, Zoliswa Matana, the letter states: “I, Luleka Ethel Simon-Ndzele, submit my letter of resignation with effect from the date of 24 April 2016 as PR councillor Buffalo City Metro due to personal reasons.
“I wish to appreciate the support, opportunity and confidence that you have on me as a Speaker from 2006 until February 2016.”
She thanked municipal leaders, councillors and officials.
Although the matter was set down on the agenda, it was not discussed in council yesterday and Simon-Ndzele was not present during the sitting.
Simon-Ndzele is facing charges of fraud in connection to the Nelson Mandela funeral funds scandal in which millions of rands approved for memorial and funeral arrangements were allegedly misused in Buffalo City Metro.
She was the council speaker at the time and was later arrested by the Hawks along with co-accused former Buffalo City mayor Zukiswa Ncitha‚ former BCM deputy mayor Themba Tinta‚ former ANC Buffalo City regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo and senior councillor Sindiswa Gomba.
Other co-accused are Ondela Mahlangu‚ Viwe Vazi‚ Dean Fanoe‚ Zintle Nkuhlu and Nosiphiwo Mati.
In February she was demoted by the ANC as a speaker with co-accused Mkolo suspended as regional secretary and replaced by his deputy, Mkhawuleli Maleki, who is acting in the position until the Mandela memorial fund fraud trial is over.
From February Simon-Ndzele was an ordinary councillor who was often vocal about council matters.
Attempts to get comment from her yesterday were not fruitful as both her cellphones were off.
However, chairman of the Dr WB Rubusana region, Xola Pakati, told the Dispatch yesterday the resignation was not in any way related to the ongoing case which was postponed this month until May 23 when a trial date will be set.
Pakati said: “We received the letter earlier from comrade Ndzele indicating her intent to leave the institution. We received the letter about two weeks ago.”
Asked about the reasons behind the resignation Pakati said: “She cited personal reasons and upon that information we accepted the resignation.
“She is going to spend more of her time now doing the ANC work as the deputy chairperson of the region. She cited personal reasons and when a comrade cites personal reasons for resigning we don’t interrogate, you just accept.
“Her resignation is not related to the ongoing case. It is for personal reasons,” Pakati said, adding that council was still to discuss her resignation. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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