Opposition parties in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the exception of the DA, yesterday welcomed the move to disband the ANC regional structure.
They said it further improved their chances of winning the 2016 local government elections.
President Jacob Zuma led the ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) to the Bay on Monday, where they met provincial, regional and branch leaders and decided to dissolve the troubled region.
The move by the ruling party’s top brass to dissolve the regional executive committee, indicates that the ANC is aware of the possibility of losing control of the city hall in 2016.
The decision was taken because of years of infighting within the REC.
The DA has been confident of taking over the city in 2016, while Julius Malema’s EFF and Numsa’s yet to be established United Front also pose a threat to ANC rule.
Yesterday, DA caucus spokesman councillor Dean Biddulph said they had plans in place already and were concentrating on them and not what the ANC was doing.
“But this is a very good indicator that senior structures are aware that they are under pressure and are close to losing the metro in 2016.
“The ruling party in our metro is in freefall so they had to do something and had it been us, we would have acted long ago. So I fear it might be a case of too little too late.
“They are going to have a hell of a battle to retain control of the metro in 2016,” Biddulph said.
UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani said the NEC had finally stopped being in denial.
“We welcome President Zuma’s move to disband the REC because this will actually make the UDM stronger because we will recruit those ANC comrades who are not happy with the ANC.
“This will help us become a formidable force going to 2016.”
COPE regional secretary and caucus leader councillor Khwezi Ntshanyana said the move by the ANC NEC would benefit Bay residents as infighting had negatively affected service delivery.
“We have seen this coming for a while and if the national leadership has dissolved them, we say ‘thank God’ because their infighting was impacting on service delivery.
“The ANC in the region and the country has run out of steam and is in panic mode. Come 2016, whatever they do – even the intervention of heavenly powers – will not help them because they have run out of ideas.
“The ruling party is in a state of chaos. There is a political space and the ANC has lost hope, it has lost the grip and the widespread service delivery protests throughout the region indicate that people have lost hope in the ruling party,” Ntshanyana said.
EFF regional chairman Lukhanyo Mrara said: “This shows that they are feeling the pressure. This is a blessing in disguise for us because this will help the fighters.
“The ANC never took the metro seriously and they showed that by giving us the oldest mayor.”
However, independent political analyst Kelvin Knowles said it was difficult to tell how Zuma’s decision would affect the polls.
“There might be a coalition government just to get rid of the ANC,” Knowles said.
He dismissed any chances of smaller parties like the UDM and COPE benefiting from the ANC REC being disbanded.
Removal of ANC leaders welcomed
They said it further improved their chances of winning the 2016 local government elections.
President Jacob Zuma led the ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) to the Bay on Monday, where they met provincial, regional and branch leaders and decided to dissolve the troubled region.
The move by the ruling party’s top brass to dissolve the regional executive committee, indicates that the ANC is aware of the possibility of losing control of the city hall in 2016.
The decision was taken because of years of infighting within the REC.
The DA has been confident of taking over the city in 2016, while Julius Malema’s EFF and Numsa’s yet to be established United Front also pose a threat to ANC rule.
Yesterday, DA caucus spokesman councillor Dean Biddulph said they had plans in place already and were concentrating on them and not what the ANC was doing.
“But this is a very good indicator that senior structures are aware that they are under pressure and are close to losing the metro in 2016.
“The ruling party in our metro is in freefall so they had to do something and had it been us, we would have acted long ago. So I fear it might be a case of too little too late.
“They are going to have a hell of a battle to retain control of the metro in 2016,” Biddulph said.
UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani said the NEC had finally stopped being in denial.
“We welcome President Zuma’s move to disband the REC because this will actually make the UDM stronger because we will recruit those ANC comrades who are not happy with the ANC.
“This will help us become a formidable force going to 2016.”
COPE regional secretary and caucus leader councillor Khwezi Ntshanyana said the move by the ANC NEC would benefit Bay residents as infighting had negatively affected service delivery.
“We have seen this coming for a while and if the national leadership has dissolved them, we say ‘thank God’ because their infighting was impacting on service delivery.
“The ANC in the region and the country has run out of steam and is in panic mode. Come 2016, whatever they do – even the intervention of heavenly powers – will not help them because they have run out of ideas.
“The ruling party is in a state of chaos. There is a political space and the ANC has lost hope, it has lost the grip and the widespread service delivery protests throughout the region indicate that people have lost hope in the ruling party,” Ntshanyana said.
EFF regional chairman Lukhanyo Mrara said: “This shows that they are feeling the pressure. This is a blessing in disguise for us because this will help the fighters.
“The ANC never took the metro seriously and they showed that by giving us the oldest mayor.”
However, independent political analyst Kelvin Knowles said it was difficult to tell how Zuma’s decision would affect the polls.
“There might be a coalition government just to get rid of the ANC,” Knowles said.
He dismissed any chances of smaller parties like the UDM and COPE benefiting from the ANC REC being disbanded.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos