ANC suspends members for disrupting council

Ten members of the African National Congress in KwaDukuza have been suspended by the provincial executive committee (PEC) for disrupting the appointment of a new mayor.

ANC members from the KwaDukuza sub-region refused to allow the provincial leadership to meet with ANC councillors, the PEC said this week.

As a consequence neither an ANC caucus nor a council meeting could be held.

The council has to elect a new mayor to replace Cllr Ricardo Mthembu, who has moved to the provincial legislature.

The suspended members are Sanele Mthiyane, KwaDukuza sub-regional treasurer and branch secretary, Sibusiso Mhlongo, sub-regional leader, Xolani Mbhele, branch secretary, Innocent Biyela, Nhlanhla Sibiya, branch chairperson, Nombulelo Xulu, branch treasurer, Kito Khumalo, Sthembiso Magubane, branch chairperson, Nobuhle Mhlongo, deputy secretary and Zanele Nkonyeni, branch chairperson.

The PEC is the highest organ of the party in the province and its decisions are binding on all ANC members and structures.

ANC provincial spokesperson Ricardo Mthembu said it was obvious that some ANC councillors and branch executive committee members in the sub-region were unwilling to accept the decision of the highest organ in the province.

“This means the ANC, through its members and leaders, stood in the way and succeeded to disrupt the proceedings of council intended to serve the residents. This behaviour completely contradicts the noble course of our movement which dictates that we all serve at the behest of our people and the African National Congress,” said Mthembu.

The suspended members will be required to appear before the PEC disciplinary committee to answer to the allegations against them.

KwaDukuza sub-region secretary Mlekeleli Gcabashe said as the leadership of the sub-region, including the suspended members, had not received any formal notification of the suspension.

“We only saw in the media that some of our members had been suspended, since when does the ANC suspend its members via the media? We can not say anything because we have not been told by the PEC that our members had been suspended,” said Gcabashe.

He denied that members had disrupted the council meeting and said they wanted to speak with the PEC.

“The ANC caucus was held at the council chamber and the council meeting was at the town hall, so I do not understand how it is that when members of the ANC want to speak with their leadership, the council gets disrupted,” said Gcashse.

The ANCYL which have been calling for PEC to take action against members of the KwaDukuza sub-region said they are happy with the PEC decision.

“We believe that the decision was long overdue and these comrades need to face the harshest disciplinary processes to send a clear message even to others who have also thought of adopting a tendency of undermining the authority of the ANC,” said ANCYL spokesperson Ngcebo Mazibuko.

The PEC should have suspended more councillors who had been preaching defiance, he said.

Download The North Coast Courier mobile app, now available free from the Apple iStore and on Google Play, for IOS and Android phones.