Death threats as BCM factions snarl

CRACKS within the ANC Buffalo City Metro caucus have deepened after BCM mayor Xola Pakati allegedly snubbed ward 26 councillor Ntunkulana Ncotela when he attended a community meeting in the ward.

Pakati is alleged to have gone to the meeting without the knowledge of Ncotela.

The meeting, which took place on Monday afternoon, became chaotic when two women working in Ncotela’s office were threatened by other residents and accused of being his “spies”.

Ncotela is one of 21 rebel ANC councillors facing disciplinary action from the ANC after they recently voted against a decision to appoint Ncumisa Sidukwana as acting city manager last month.

The councillors are linked with a faction associated with suspended ANC regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo, who are seen to be working against Pakati.

The councillors instead voted with opposition parties and development planning director Nonceba Mbali-Majeng was appointed.

However, a special council meeting reviewed Mbali-Majeng’s appointment last week following her sudden resignation.

Cooperative services head of department Bob Naidoo was then appointed as the new acting city manager for three months.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday Ncotela said: “I was shocked to learn that the mayor was attending a community meeting in my ward without my knowledge.

“By rights I should have been part of that meeting. That is how things are normally done but because now I am not part of his faction he decided to snub me.

“When people kept asking me about the meeting to be held with the mayor, I kept denying that he was coming because he didn’t say anything to me about the meeting to address service delivery complaints,” Ncotela added.

Nombasa Nokoyo, 35, and Sisanda Shushwana, 30, said residents threatened to “stab” and “kill” them during the meeting.

They said they were left traumatised and helpless after the Vulindlela police station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Monde Mgolodela refused to open a criminal case against the residents who threatened them.

“We attended the meeting as it was open to all residents and we wanted to hear what the mayor would say about the service delivery issues.

“But when we got there, there was one man who stood up and said we were bitches that needed to be stabbed and that they would stab us,” said Nokoyo.

“He did this while taking off his shirt and searching his body as if he was really looking for a knife to stab us. Most of the people also started to shout at us and cursing at us. We decided to leave the meeting,” she said.

However, the women said they soon returned to the meeting wanting to hear what the mayor would say in response to the residents’ complaints.

“The mayor did not even condemn the violence. Even if there are differences but as a leader one would have thought that he would condemn the threats,” said Ncotela.

Pakati said he did not need Ncotela’s permission to attend community meetings.

“The meeting was organised by the residents and I responded to their invite. I also thought he [Ncotela] would be there.

“I don’t need his permission to go there. As mayor I needed to listen to the residents’ grievances,” he said.

Pakati said he was not chairing the meeting, and thus he could not do anything about any alleged violent threats to the women.

Lieutenant-Colonel Mgolodela refused to say why a case could not be opened for the women. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za