ANC regional bosses plead with members to behave

Nelson Mandela Bay ANC regional bosses have pleaded with members to start behaving for the sake of the party.

This comes as a power struggle erupted within the ANC, with some within the party’s caucus defying instructions in council when a group of dissenters voted for Mvuleni Mapu as the metro’s new acting city manager despite being told not to.

Acting chief whip Litho Suko also bypassed the regional task team and provincial bosses when he wrote a report to secretary-general Ace Magashule raising several allegations against the task team and defending the decision to appoint Mapu.

Then, on Monday, dozens of ANC members protested outside Florence Matomela House,  calling for the task team to be disbanded within 72 hours.

The next day, a group of branch leaders gathered outside the regional headquarters in support of the RTT led by convener Nceba Faku and co-ordinator Luyolo Nqakula.

The task team met on Tuesday to discuss the party and released a statement on Thursday.

In the statement, Nqakula said the task team was concerned about the state of the party in the Bay.

“The meeting raised extreme concern about the apparent actions of some ANC deployees who want to be bigger and more instructive to the ANC, which impedes the proper functioning of the organisation.”

He said the task team reiterated its call for Andile Lungisa to be removed as a member of the city’s mayoral committee.

“This PEC decision was upheld by the national executive committee and as such has no grounds to cause any further delays,” Nqakula said.

He said the task team condemned all members that had gathered outside the regional headquarters this week.

“We wish to encourage members to desist from organising public gatherings which are not in adherence or compliance with lockdown regulations, and cease from making utterances which can sow divisions.”

Nqakula said he had been tasked with beefing up security and surveillance at the regional headquarters, and open a case with the police for intimidation.

“The RTT has faced an accumulation of acts of ill-discipline and defiance by a small sum of our members who have become beyond reproach.

“As the ANC of Nelson Mandela Bay we urge our members and supporters to distance themselves from individuals that are contravening the code of conduct of the ANC constitution and breaking the rule of law.

“We plead with all ANC members in the region serious about the aims and objectives of the organisation to continue being keen activists and principled cadres of the people’s movement.”