Former MEC says resignation was for ‘personal’ reasons

Former Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Amanda Bani-Mapena cited personal reasons for her resignation, the ANC in KZN said on Thursday.

Bani-Mapena resigned abruptly on Wednesday with immediate effect, after being at the helm for barely seven months.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, the ANC provincial leadership said it had accepted Bani-Mapena’s resignation but turned down her request to quit as a member of the provincial legislature.

In her statement about her resignation, Bani-Mapena did not provide details on the personal reasons behind her decision.

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ANC provincial spokesperson, Mafika Mndebele, said, “As a movement, we cannot communicate such reasons with the public. There is no fallout between comrade Bani-Mapena and the ANC.”

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KZN MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture steps down
She remains a leader of the movement, a PEC [provincial executive committee] member and a provincial working committee member responsible for the day-to-day monitoring and evaluation of the work of the ANC.
“She will also continue to be a member of the provincial legislature and she remains one of our valuable members,” said Mndebele.

Provincial government spokesperson, Bongi Gwala, said the executive council expressed gratitude and appreciation to the MEC for her service to the people of KZN.

The DA’s provincial spokesperson on Sport, Arts and Culture, Bradley Singh, expressed concern following the resignation.

The MEC’s resignation comes while there are individuals linked to corruption scandals who are still employed within this department. Bani-Mapena shielded the department from failure and introduced some form of stability.
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“Her sudden resignation will leave a vacuum in the department. The sudden nature of her leaving raises alarms and, as the DA, we are, for the sake of transparency, committed to uncovering the reasons for this.

“It is now critical that the acting MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, steps up and ensures that the people of KZN, including our long-suffering artists, start seeing the money intended for them,” said Singh.

Attempts to get comment from the IFP in the legislature were unsuccessful.