National integrity body mulls evidence
THE fate of Buffalo City’s leaders now rests in the hands of the ANC’s national integrity commission (NIC) and may be known by the end of this month.
The party’s provincial executive will await recommendations from the NIC before taking any action against the ANC’s senior BCM councillors and a regional leader implicated in the Mandela memorial funds scandal.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane confirmed this yesterday after the senior councillors, including deputy mayor Themba Tinta, appeared before the NIC in Johannesburg last weekend. Tinta, council speaker Luleka Simon-Ndzele and ANC BCM regional secretary Phumlani Mkolo were summoned to Luthuli House last Saturday.
They were allowed to present their side of the story of their links to the R5.9-million the metro had set aside to transport mourners to the former statesman’s funeral last December.
Mabuyane said BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha did not form part of last Saturday’s meeting at ANC headquarters because “she had already presented her side of the story to the integrity committee a few weeks back”.
“Those comrades (BCM) have all appeared before the NIC. We expect outcomes based on the information shared with the commission. The outcomes can be available even before September 1 .”
Mabuyane’s announcement came amid a major shake-up by the party in several municipalities across the province.
The first changes were made at OR Tambo district municipality yesterday, when ANC chief whip Nolitha Ntobongwana was demoted to the mayoral committee position. She was replaced by PEC member and former regional secretary Jackson Saubona.
Major reshuffles were also imminent at Tsolwana, Ngcobo, Emalahleni, Chris Hani and Alfred Nzo district municipalities.
Mabuyane said the ANC was shocked at how the BCM case was being handled by the state’s law enforcement agents, as none of those implicated had been charged, two months on.
“During this process, we cannot destroy people on the basis of allegations which have not been tested. They remain allegations,” said Mabuyane.
The ANC reshuffle across the province follows a Daily Dispatch report last week which stated that regional ANC leaders had recommended to the provincial executive that several mayors, speakers, chief whips and mayoral committee members deployed by the party be replaced or moved.
The ANC spent two days discussing the state of local government in the province.
Mabuyane confirmed that the provincial executive (PEC), which met on Monday, had given the go-ahead for the first phase of the party’s “complete overhaul” of Eastern Cape municipalities in an effort to unblock bottlenecks in service delivery.
Among those who were expected to be axed are Nelson Mandela Metro mayor Ben Fihla, his counterpart at Ngqushwa Solomzi Ndwayana, Mbhashe’s Nonceba Mfecana and King Sabatha Dalindyebo’s Nonkoliso Ngqongwa.
The trio will not be axed as the party is still discussing the performance of their municipalities.
“We are busy planning for 2016. Where we can, we are going to capacitate municipalities. We are doing all that is possible for the ANC.”
Mabuyane added that the party was communicating with structures and those involved.
“We have agreed to implement major changes in Chris Hani district, Ngcobo, Emalahleni, and Tsolwana,” said Mabuyane.
Some of the changes in the Chris Hani District Municipality have been necessitated by the resignation of former Lukhanji mayor Mncedisi Nontsele, who is now heading of the ANC’s organising committee at Calata House.
Mabuyane would not, however, discuss changes in other institutions.
“I’m in no position to discuss names and positions in other municipalities because we have yet to communicate with the individuals affected.
“Wait for our press conference on Thursday,” he said yesterday.
But the Dispatch understands that Tsolwana mayor Khayalethu Nqithi, who is also the council speaker, faces the axe, as well as council chief whip Noluthando Ngqabisa.
Two years ago Nqithi was accused of attacking Mati Joka, 62.
Joka accused the mayor of assaulting her and stomping on her chest after the pair argued about unemployment in the town.
She suffered bruises to the body and face, and was taken to hospital.
Nqithi denied the attack and claimed Joka hurt herself when she fell on a vase as he was trying to throw her out of the house they were in.