Reeston branch meeting disrupted

PREPARATIONS for the Buffalo City Metro ANC regional conference started in earnest last weekend as branches held general meetings to nominate candidates to lead the region.

Last weekend the region launched five branches which include wards 10, 42, 32, 26 and 14.

Yesterday ward 13 in Reeston was expected to convene its branch general meeting. However it was disrupted by disgruntled ANC members.

East London police spokeswoman Hazel Mqala confirmed that police were sent to Reeston to calm tensions.

“There were people burning tyres, but for now it is not clear that it’s the ANC meeting,” she said yesterday.

Ward 13 ANC member Richmond Mabetha, who was part of the disgruntled group said: “These people who are part of the Mandela scandal were here to steal our branch. They never informed us of this meeting, hence there was that commotion.”

Contacted for comment yesterday, four of the five newly launched branches endorsed a similar line-up for the hotly contested conference.

Wards 10, 14, 42 and 26 endorsed a line-up that consists of Xola Pakathi as chairman; Luleka Simon-Ndzele as his deputy chair; Pumlani Mkolo as secretary; Mkhawuleli Maleki as deputy secretary; and department of transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca as treasurer.

Charlotte Maxeke branch (ward 14) secretary Zininzi Mtshingizane said they held their BGM on Wednesday and the meeting decided to endorse a line-up led by Pakathi and Mkolo.

“We have put forward our slate that is led by the secretary [Mkolo] uncontested. This means that all the three branches in Mdantsane that have convened BGM’s endorse our slate,” Mtshingizane.

Meanwhile the ANC Youth League in the region also announced its preferred list of candidates for the region’s top brass.

The league on Tuesday night held a special regional executive committee meeting and decided on a different line-up. Theirs is: Mninawa Nyusile as chairman; Temba Tinta as deputy; Mxolisi Dimaza as secretary; Nomfezeko Ngesi as deputy secretary; and Nozizwe Otola as treasurer.

ANCYL BCM regional secretary Awethu Zumana yesterday said the line-up would restore the region’s lost integrity.

“For our leadership we considered comrades that have been tried and tested and have a clear track record in leading the ANC,” Zumana said.

Last week the Daily Dispatch reported that current serving chairwoman Zukisa Faku declared her availability as the party’s regional chairwoman.

Another line-up is led by former ANCYL provincial chairman Ayanda Matiti.