Buffalo City Council has a new speaker from today, and the ANC has a new secretary in its Buffalo City region.Zoliswa Matana takes over as speaker from Mandela fraud scandal accused Luleka Simon-Ndzele, who becomes an ordinary councillor, and her co-accused ANC regional secretary Phumlani Mkolo has been suspended. His deputy, Mkhawuleli Maleki, will act in the position until the Mandela memorial trial is over.
Announcing the developments ANC regional chairman Xola Pakati said: “We have decided to act on the matter to save the integrity of the organisation.
“This does not mean any of them are guilty of anything, but this move is to give the court processes space to deal with this matter once and for all without any hindrances.”
This follows an ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) decision to implement recommendations from the ANC’s national integrity committee (IC) which urged temporary removal of all those facing criminal charges for swindling R5.9-million earmarked for memorial services of late statesman Nelson Mandela until the matter is finalised in court.
The Dispatch reported last week on the contents of IC member Andrew Mlangeni’s report to ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe, which was delivered to Calata House two weeks ago.
The IC recommended that Mkolo be suspended as an ANC official and not be involved in the ANC’s campaign programme for the 2016 local elections.
It also recommended that Simon-Ndzele, former BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and then deputy mayor Themba Tinta be demoted to ordinary councillors.
Pakati said Maleki steps into Mkolo’s position and Matana replaces Simon-Ndzele with immediate effect.
Pakati said the region received the national integrity committee’s report last Thursday and on Friday it decided to effect the recommendations.
Ncitha and Tinta were removed last year as councillors and deployed to parliament and the Bhisho legislature respectively. Their co-accused, Sindiswa Gomba, was demoted from the BCM mayoral committee for housing to ordinary councillor last July.
Branches within the region have been deeply divided since the arrest of Mkolo and his co-accused two years ago, as some openly criticised the ANC’s retention of those implicated in the scandal in the regional structure.
As pressure mounted, the PEC decided to put Mkolo on special leave.
But he was re-elected last November, to serve a second term as regional secretary. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Mandela fraud accused out
Zoliswa Matana takes over as speaker from Mandela fraud scandal accused Luleka Simon-Ndzele, who becomes an ordinary councillor, and her co-accused ANC regional secretary Phumlani Mkolo has been suspended. His deputy, Mkhawuleli Maleki, will act in the position until the Mandela memorial trial is over.
Announcing the developments ANC regional chairman Xola Pakati said: “We have decided to act on the matter to save the integrity of the organisation.
“This does not mean any of them are guilty of anything, but this move is to give the court processes space to deal with this matter once and for all without any hindrances.”
This follows an ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) decision to implement recommendations from the ANC’s national integrity committee (IC) which urged temporary removal of all those facing criminal charges for swindling R5.9-million earmarked for memorial services of late statesman Nelson Mandela until the matter is finalised in court.
The Dispatch reported last week on the contents of IC member Andrew Mlangeni’s report to ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe, which was delivered to Calata House two weeks ago.
The IC recommended that Mkolo be suspended as an ANC official and not be involved in the ANC’s campaign programme for the 2016 local elections.
It also recommended that Simon-Ndzele, former BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and then deputy mayor Themba Tinta be demoted to ordinary councillors.
Pakati said Maleki steps into Mkolo’s position and Matana replaces Simon-Ndzele with immediate effect.
Pakati said the region received the national integrity committee’s report last Thursday and on Friday it decided to effect the recommendations.
Ncitha and Tinta were removed last year as councillors and deployed to parliament and the Bhisho legislature respectively. Their co-accused, Sindiswa Gomba, was demoted from the BCM mayoral committee for housing to ordinary councillor last July.
Branches within the region have been deeply divided since the arrest of Mkolo and his co-accused two years ago, as some openly criticised the ANC’s retention of those implicated in the scandal in the regional structure.
As pressure mounted, the PEC decided to put Mkolo on special leave.
But he was re-elected last November, to serve a second term as regional secretary. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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