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ANC councillors who voted with opposition in Mpumalanga to face disciplinary action

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The African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga says disciplinary action will be instituted against councillors who defied a National Executive Council (NEC) directive in the election of a Mayor and Speaker for the Nkomazi Municipality.

It is alledged that the national ANC directed councillors to elect and support Phindile Magagula as mayor.

However, councillors elected Johan Mkhatshwa.

The councillors also voted with opposition parties in Piet Retief, dethroning the ANC and electing an independent candidate for mayor.

It is alledged that ANC councillors in the Nkomazi Municipality colluded with Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors in exchange for PR councillor positions and supported Johan Mkhatshwa for mayor.

The ANC directed its deployees to elect Phindile Magagula as the new mayor and Hilda Nyambi as the speaker. But the councillors voted for Johan Mkhatshwa as mayor and Sphiwe Mashele as speaker.

Acting Secretary for the ANC in Mpumalanga, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali says they are awaiting a report on what transpired.

“They defied the resolution of the NEC. It is not about us as the PEC of Mpumalanga, but it is about the conduct of our deployees and in our constitution, there is a clear process if your public representative misbehaves. We are still expecting a formal report from the region. There would be no deployee of the ANC that will defy the ANC and lead institution without the approval of the ANC.”

ANC in Mpumalanga disappointed after losing the Mkhondo Municipality to opposition parties:

Meanwhile, in the Mkhondo Municipality ANC councillors voted and supported an independent candidate to be the mayor. ANC councillor Mary Twala, who was nominated for the mayoral position, was overlooked and Mthokozisi Simelane was voted in as mayor. This is despite the ANC holding 21 of the 38 seats in council.

The ANC in Mpumalanga expressed disappointment in the latest development. Ntshalintshali says decisions taken by the national office bearers should be respected.

“Remembers, these deployees are still accountable to the ANC. We don’t expect anybody to behave like that. (The) institution belongs to them, but the issues, factions are uncontrollable. It is unfortunate that some of our comrades would think that they are bigger than the ANC and they would do things as they please. We must respect the policies and decisions taken by the upper structure.”

Disgruntled ANC members march to provincial offices 

Earlier this week, disgruntled members of the ANC in Ehlanzeni marched to the provincial offices of the party in Mbombela, calling for the dissolution of the Provincial Executive Committee.

Leader of the group Majayeni Nyalunga says they are not surprised by what happened at the Mkhondo and Nkomazi municipalities.

“We ask ourselves was this call by the president directed to certain municipalities, not to us as Ehlanzeni, to whom the president was directing about degrees and so forth?  You see, in the City of Mbombela and Ehlanzeni, we have comrades with degrees, and masters who were overlooked in favour of comrades who have matric. That is our concern. That’s why we are saying what happened in Nkomazi, the person chosen by the majority, that comrade has got a masters. These people at the province, the so-called leaders they don’t bother to call us under one roof and give direction.”

Luthuli House has been given seven days to respond to members’ demands.

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