Infighting over by-election candidates rocks party

WITH just over two weeks before Gonubie residents elect a new ward councillor, ANC branch and provincial leaders are yet to agree on who to stand for the party in the November 2 by-elections.

The fight over the party’s candidate has been escalated to the national headquarters, Luthuli House.

While Ward 27 ANC members want Vuyisile Hokisi to stand for the by- elections, Calata House believes BoyBoy Kalane is the right man to retain the ward, which includes Mzamomhle, Gonubie West, Gonubie North and Quenera North.

The by-elections were called after former councillor Bhelekazi Mabandla resigned after she had been incorrectly registered with the IEC as the Ward 27 councillor-candidate instead of being a candidate for Ward 28 before last year’s municipal polls.

Kalane has been registered as the ANC candidate for the by-elections, but branch members claim that he is being imposed on them.

Branch chairman Vuyisile Gxwala led a branch executive committee delegation to Luthuli House this week to submit their complaint.

“As the BEC we were left with no choice but to approach Luthuli House to report this standoff because the PEC is ducking and diving and registered a candidate we did not endorse while we are left with two weeks to the elections.

“We were told at Luthuli House that a meeting between the region, PEC and us as the branch will be convened to resolve this impasse,” he said.

The standoff resulted in Buffalo City Metro moving a planned mayoral imbizo in the area last week as ANC members vowed to disrupt it.

This has raised the ire of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the ward, saying ANC internal squabbles were affecting residents.

Ward 27 Sanco chairman Buyisile Ndamane said community service delivery issues cannot be stalled as a result of “igcuntswana” (small group) of ANC members in the ward who have a problem with their PEC over a candidate.

ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa could not be reached for comment yesterday, while provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi previously said fielding Hokisi was their way of correcting last year’s mistake where Mabandla was incorrectly registered as Ward 27 candidate. —