No one doubts the overwhelming support the Mdantsane-born ANC leader Pumlani Mkolo enjoys in his backyard, and arguably across other regions in the Eastern Cape. But his alleged involvement in the swindling of millions earmarked for Nelson Mandela’s memorial services put his political career in a highly compromised position.
The Dispatch has reported extensively about the reasons Mkolo was suspended in June 2014, and instructed not to take part in any of his party’s activities until his name was cleared in court. This followed his arrest along with former BCM Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha, and fellow ANC councillors Sindiswa Gomba and Luleka Simon-Ndzele. Others nabbed were BCM senior official Ondela Mahlangu and business people Dean Fanoe, Viwe Vazi, Zintle Nkuhlu and Nosiphiwo Mati.
Mkolo had been sitting at home for years when his name appeared on a list of nominees for the ANC’s national executive committee when the party held its 54th elective conference at Nasrec in December.
This was the party’s highest decisionmaking body, and none of the more than 5,000 delegates questioned his inclusion among the nominees. Although Mkolo did not make the cut, the fact that his name made it to the ballot paper suggested he was now an active ANC member.
His status at the Nasrec conference was a subject of discussion when ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte visited the Dr WB Rubusana region on Sunday. Duarte was in East London as the head of the ANC’s national appeals committee. She was here to address disputes registered by several members who questioned the legitimacy of the elective congress which elected Mkolo as chair of the Dr WB Rubusana region two weeks ago. Mkolo outclassed the then Rubusana regional chairperson Xola Pakati, getting 120 votes to Pakati’s 107.
Duarte tried to put the blame squarely at the door of the Oscar Mabuyane-led PEC for having allowed a Mandela funeral scandal accused to stand for election as chairperson. However, the former ANC Youth League leader and now PEC member Mziwonke Ndabeni challenged Duarte, saying: “What did you expect from us? What if he was elected as an NEC member? The national conference is the highest decision-making body but delegates to that conference did not challenge Mkolo's status at the conference”.
Political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni said stakes were too high at Nasrec for any of the delegates to have been able to take note of any “shoddy” character who had been nominated, including Mkolo. He said it was for the same reason that the ANC in Gauteng was still battling to deal with its controversial decision to have Qedani Mahlangu and Brian Hlongwa in its PEC.
Mahlangu, the former Gauteng member of the executive committee (MEC) for health and social development, resigned over her role in the death of 144 psychiatric patients in the Life Esidimeni tragedy, while Hlongwa is accused of facilitating corruption amounting to about R1.2-billion within the Gauteng health department during his tenure.
In an attempt to deal with all these controversies, the ANC’s national integrity commission (NIC) met behind closed doors on Tuesday. The commissioners have to deal with any unethical or immoral conduct by a member which has the potential to bring or has already brought the ANC into disrepute.
However, NIC chair Sindisa Mfenyana said they had to shelve discussions of all the reports for the next meeting on October 5 “where we will also be conducting a workshop on how to deal with these issues”.
“Literally every province had a letter that needed the attention of the integrity commission. We also had outstanding issues from the previous term,” said Mfenyana.
Fikeni said the ANC’s main crisis was “deeply entrenched factionalism, which has nothing to do with one’s moral standing. It’s a case of saying, if you are in my camp in such a highly contested conference, you are protected”.
“The other challenge facing political parties in general, not just the ANC, is that they all have questionable characters in their midst because morality has become relative.”
As ANC members wait for the NIC’s workshop, the leaders in question continue to make decisions on behalf of the party. And don’t be surprised if they end up serving a full term of office...