Nelson Mandela Bay Metro stakeholders shut down ANC regional office

A group of residents in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro identifying themselves as stakeholders have written to the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee (ANC NEC) demanding a meeting to iron out a number of issues identified by the stakeholders.

According to a statement issued by the group, they have instructed the ANC Nelson Mandela Bay regional committee to close the regional office from Thursday, October 11 onwards and cease all official party business until the NEC honours the group’s invitation to meet.

Should the NEC not honour the invitation, they have stated their intention to issue the same directive to ANC councillors in the area starting on Monday, October 15.

Among the grievances listed by the group is a perceived tendency towards factionalism by the ANC in the area; the regional committee’s removal of Andile Lungisa from his position as MMC in the infrastructure, engineering, electricity, and energy portfolio; and the subsequent implication that the ANC is looking to distance itself from Lungisa in light of his legal troubles.

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According to the statement, the group’s biggest qualm is the fact that they were not consulted on the actions taken against Lungisa as his removal directly affects them as a community.

The group stated: “It has also come to our attention that some of our community leaders received the report of this meeting while the meeting was still in session and this leads us to believe that these decisions were premeditated and only meant to undo all the good work we have done, on our own, to bring stability to the metro.”

The group believes that there are forces at work looking to “steal their city” and they threatened to deal with said forces the same way they dealt with the DA coalition in the metro.

Members of @MYANC have written to party bosses demanding they come and address them regarding their recommendation that @mrlungisa step down as a member of the Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral committee pic.twitter.com/X5BRygNVCo

— Nomazima Nkosi (@Zima_B_Nkosi) October 11, 2018

ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe could not be reached for comment.

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