The ANC’s national executive committee wants Pumlani Mkolo to resign as Dr WB Rubusana regional chair, while the Jessie Duarte-led national appeals committee wants the entire regional executive committee (REC) disbanded.
The final decision to effect the changes and replace the month-old structure with a task team will be made by the end of this week, the Dispatch can reveal today.
Duarte, the party’s deputy secretary-general, is expected to visit Buffalo City this week, to afford a hearing for some ANC branch members who filed further disputes on the conference outcome, the Dispatch understands.
The Dispatch can also reveal that the NEC has assigned the Oscar Mabuyane-led provincial executive committee to fire Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Andile Lungisa as a mayoral executive committee.
Lungisa was elected as infrastructure, engineering, electricity and engineering services head two months ago, following the unseating of former mayor Athol Trollip.
“What was made clear in that meeting is that the ANC has a standing resolution not to allow any ANC member who is facing criminal charges to remain in office – that is, until his or her name has been cleared.
“The national integrity commission had a decision to suspend Pumlani [Mkolo], and that decision still stands because he is still facing criminal charges. The same goes for Andile. So the PEC has to inform him that he will be recalled as a mayoral executive committee member,” said an ANC leader who attended the three-day NEC meeting at which these decisions were made.
Mkolo was elected last month after receiving 120 votes against mayor Xola Pakati’s 107 votes. But the conference’s legitimacy was challenged by several branches after the elections commission announced that instead of the adopted 223 voting delegates adopted at plenary, 229 had voted.
The Dispatch reported at the time that the difference was caused by ward 25, which had initially decided not to take part, complaining they were not given the required 24-hour cooling-off period to prepare.
According to ANC conference processes, once the PEC resolves to allow the region to elect leaders, it has to give branches 24 hours to prepare for that conference, and in this case ward 25 delegate Crosby Kolela filed a dispute saying this rule hadbeen flouted as they were informed only five hours after the conference had started.
Duarte’s report also questions the involvement of six wards. These were wards 1, 2, 13, 21, 36 and 39.
The report singled out ward 1 in Duncan Village, which was not in good standing yet had fielded delegates to the conference.
What makes matters worse is that all the top five positions, except for Mkolo’s position, were won by very small margins. These include the regional treasurer position, which saw Princess Faku losing to Malizo Phuthu by 113 votes against 115.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule confirmed at a press conference that the Dr WB Rubusana conference outcome was being handled at national level. “The Rubusana matter will be finalised by the national appeals committee,” said Magashule.
The developments come as BCM residents await outcomes on plans to reshuffle the Pakati-led council executive.
The Dispatch reported last week that the region’s top five officials, led by Mkolo, were scheduled to table a report on whom they want fired.
Instead, this was the very 2pm meeting at which Mkolo was expected to tender his resignation as regional chair.
Contacted for comment, ANC regional secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said only Magashule had the right to comment on the Rubusana decisions and outcomes.
“You will have to get everything from the SG’s press conference,” said Ngcukayitobi.
Mkolo said he was unaware of the developments as he was not part of the NEC meeting.
Lungisa said there had not been a NEC decision.
“[There’s] nothing like that. That is not an NEC outcome.”..