ANC region sidelines two executives
Mkolo faction wins to flex muscle at provincial election
TWO executives from the ANC’s Dr WB Rubusana region will likely watch the ANC provincial conference from the sidelines.
The decision to leave regional treasurer Ncedo Kumbaca and deputy regional chairwoman Luleka SimonNdzele out of the REC delegation to attend the much-anticipated provincial conference, which starts today, was taken at an REC meeting on Tuesday.
Ordinarily, the top five regional officials are expected to make the cut.
However this was not the case at Buffalo City as decided to field deputy mayor Zoliswa Matana, Sindiswa Gomba, Andile Badi, Mfundo Bota, Fezeka Loliwe and the SACP’s Mthetheleli Sam, who did not make it into the council.
The six are believed to be close allies of suspended regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo, who is close to provincial secretary and provincial chairman hopeful Oscar Mabuyane.
While the REC previously declared its support for incumbent provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle to retain the chairmanship for a third term, sidelining his supporters in the REC could be seen as the Mkolo faction flexing its muscle and showing that going to this weekend’s conference, it might have the numbers.
ANC insiders who attended the meeting said with six spots up for grabs voting saw the triumphant camp win by 15 votes for each candidate against the other camp’s nine.
Contacted for comment, acting regional secretary Mkhawuleli “Gura” Maleki said he did not attend the REC meeting as he was in a PEC meeting in King William’s Town-based Calata House.
Regional chairman Xola Pakati, a staunch Masualle supporter, said he would attend the conference as a provincial executive committee (PEC) member (ex-officio) which is the same capacity in which Maleki will be attending the conference.
Kumbaca said the REC meeting was an internal ANC matter and it was not cast in stone in terms of who in the REC would attend.
He declined to comment further until today’s PEC meeting.
Another REC member sympathetic to Simons-Ndzele and Kumbaca said the REC vote would be reversed as it was “not done properly”.
The REC member, who asked not to be named, cited a letter from the party’s provincial headquarters, Calata House, claiming it said at least all officials should be given first preference to form part of the REC delegation to the conference.
The letter says all RECs must submit lists before the end of the business day yesterday. However, the Dispatch can confirm that the Dr W B Rubusana region had not convened another REC meeting by 4.30pm yesterday. —