ANC flag. Picture: Michel Bega
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State’s Mangaung region has charged several councillors, including the council speaker, for supporting opposition parties’ motion to have senior manager David Nkaiseng suspended for bringing in ghost workers at the metro.
The Citizen has seen the letters, dated 12 May, and sent to at least four councillors, including speaker Stefani Lockman-Naidoo.
Mpho Mokoakoa, Chabeli Rampai, Puseletso Seleke and Lockman-Naidoo all face two charges each.
Mokoakoa, Rampai and Seleke were charged with “insubordinate and insolent” conduct, in that they “openly defied the directive of the chief whip [Vumile Nikelo] and the regional interim committee deployee [former agriculture MEC] Mathabo Leeto by declaring that you are going to vote as per your individual conscience on the matter which the caucus had resolved on that it will not be tabled before that council meeting.”
The second charge accused them of being involved in tabling and supporting the motion to suspend Nkaiseng and further voting in favour of it along with the opposition parties in council in March.
Lockman-Naidoo was charged for “knowingly and intentionally” defying the resolution of the ANC caucus as the speaker by including Nkaiseng’s matter in the agenda of council while it was never tabled before the whippery.
The party further accuses her of facilitating the debate on Nkaiseng’s conduct during the March council sitting.
The disciplinary hearings will be heard in June.
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Nkaiseng was investigated for allegedly spearheading the appointments and payment of the ghost workers, who include Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s brother, Jabu Mbalula, and regional coordinator Sabelo Pitso.
An independent report by attorneys Matlho Inc. directed the metro to lay charges against him for flouting municipal laws and illegally appointing political staffers, who were found to have never reported for work, but cost Mangaung at least R9 million a month in salaries.
At last week’s sitting, the council adopted the report and instructed acting city manager Tebogo Motlashuping to initiate charges.
Other officials against whom charges were also recommended are human resources development manager Nzimeni Maswabi and employment manager in the human resources department, Thabang Joseph Mpeli.
An ANC councillor not facing charges said the region’s leadership was out on a “witch hunt,” accusing them of targeting people in council “because they took a stand against corruption.”
“The president of the ANC always speaks about isolating the corrupt and getting rid of corruption, but Mangaung region goes ahead and charges those trying to fix the organisation.
“This is a witch hunt led by individuals who wont let go of the levers of corruption,” he said, refusing to be named for fear of reprisal.
READ MORE: ANC’s irregular cadre deployment costs broke Mangaung Metro millions
Interim regional committee spokesperson Ncamile Nxangisa said the charges were brought against those found to have gone against the party in council and voted against their own.
“The disciplinary committee is busy with its work. Councillors cannot do as they please, the centre must hold. There was a decision the ANC was comfortable with, led by the chief whip, who takes instructions from the organisation.”
He said councillors should be the disseminators of the party message, and not the opposite.
“You are at liberty as an individual to voice support such as in this instance, either at party structures or in the caucus, and also subject yourself to democratic processes, in that when you raise your view and majority do not agree, you must accept that.”
When asked whether the party in Mangaung was ever committed to fighting corruption, Nxangisa said no ANC councillor was allowed defy a party decision.
“As ANC councillors, you must take guidance from the organisation… you can’t take instructions from the DA [Democratic Alliance] or some grouping outside of the council or some individuals, you do what the ANC instructs you as a councillor that was deployed by the party.”
“If party members do as they wish and are not in sync with what was communicated by the chief whip, then we would have problems… and that would not necessarily mean we are not supporting the renewal and unity project of the organisation,” he said.
The troubled metro has been marred by corruption and mismanagement in the last couple of years.
Residents have endured water shortages, uncollected refuse, deteriorating roads and general lack of services for years.
The council is under national administration after failure by the provincial government to implement a financial recovery plan.
Last week, Mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana survived a motion of no confidence brought against him by the DA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD).
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