Senior EC ANC leader granted leave over drunk driving case, integrity committee waits in wings
ANC chief whip and Chris Hani regional treasurer Madoda Papiyana was dragged before the party's regional executive committee (REC) on Wednesday to explain his recent second arrest for alleged drunken driving.
In a statement, regional secretary Lusanda Sizani said Papiyana confirmed the arrest.
“The REC of the ANC in Chris Hani region has noted with great concern the social media reports of the arrest of the regional treasurer, Madoda Papiyana on allegations of drunken driving over the Easter weekend,” said Sizani.
“Based on the serious and urgent nature of the issues involved, the REC called Papiyana to a meeting on Wednesday, April 7 2021 at 8am. The meeting was convened to hold Papiyana accountable and provide him an opportunity to give an account and background presentation on his alleged arrest on charges of drunken driving.”
According to Sizani, Papiyana made a request to be granted a leave of absence for a period of three months as both the regional treasurer and the chief whip of the Chris Hani district municipality.
“The meeting agreed to give him an opportunity to compile and submit a detailed account of facts on what transpired on this matter and this should be submitted to the regional and provincial secretaries within 24 hours,” he said.
The meeting agreed to accept Papiyana's request.
Sizani said the controversial leader would be subjected to the integrity commission. Papiyana will also need this time to clear his name through the court processes, he said.
Nobuntu Mgidi was deployed as acting chief whip in the district council for the three months of Papiyanas’ absence.
Papiyana made news in April last year after he was caught driving allegedly under the influence of alcohol, transporting liquor in the vehicle he was driving and escaping from a roadblock during level 5 of the Covid-19 lockdown.
At the time, DispatchLIVE reported that he tendered his resignation as chief whip but remained as an ordinary councillor.
Last week, the council however reinstated him to the position only to be arrested for alleged drunken driving a few days later.
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