25 ANC members suspended

Group accused of supporting independent candidate

AGROUP of more than 20 ANC members in Buffalo City Metro’s (BCM) ward 45 have been suspended en masse.

This is until they appear before a disciplinary hearing at a date yet to be confirmed for allegedly supporting an independent candidate in the buildup to recent local government elections.

The group from the Mathemba Vuso branch were served with suspension letters over their alleged support for Tulani Tempi’s failed bid to jostle power from the ANC in the ward, which covers Berlin, Ilitha township, Esikhobeni village and Hanover Park.

Their suspensions were confirmed yesterday by the branch’s newly elected secretary, Nomonde Gomomo, who said their actions in the build-up to elections amounted to them expelling themselves from party structures.

Gomomo, who signed the letters, said “25 members in good standing”, were served last week and would soon appear before a disciplinary hearing “before a move to totally expel them is considered”.

Gomomo said Tempi, a longtime ANC member, and Skenjana Roji’s Young Communist League’s district secretary, were also served, albeit “with a different letter”.

“Tempi’s letter was to remind him that he was no longer an ANC member as, according to our constitution, he had automatically expelled himself from the party by standing as an independent in the recent elections,” Gomomo said.

However, she said the party was still open for talks, should Tempi change his mind and want to work for the ANC again.

During the past elections, Tempi, who was seen as having the support of the majority, lost out to ANC councillor Gideon Norexe who was re-elected for a second term.

He later lodged a dispute with the Independent Electoral Commission, alleging irregularities during the polls.

Tempi yesterday confirmed he had received the letter and that he was still applying his mind on how to deal with it.

He said what surprised him was that the letter was not served on him by any party branch leadership, “but by a certain lady working for a BCM project in our area”.

Speaking on behalf of the suspended group, Mphuthumi Mda yesterday said they were also concerned that the letters were served using envelopes with BCM’s name and logo printed on the outside rather than party insignia.

“This is an abuse of municipal resources by those in authority,” Mda said.

Questioned on the use of municipal stationery Gomomo said: “It was not a mistake that we used BCM envelopes as the ANC councillor here is employed by BCM.”

BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi could not be reached by the time of writing yesterday.

Mda further accused the newly elected branch leadership of purging the group because it did not support Norexe.

He said the ANC constitution was not followed when they were suspended and that they were never called to any hearing to relay their side of the story.

“We do not even recognise the new branch leadership elected a few weeks ago, because it was elected in a fraudulent process,” charged Mda, an allegation which was denied by Gomomo. —