ANC to probe BCM chief whip in coffeethrowing complaint
THE ANC in the Eastern Cape is investigating one of their senior councillors in the Buffalo City Metro after he allegedly threw a mug full of hot coffee at a fellow ANC councillor after a heated argument.
The alleged incident took place at the East London City Hall last month. The party’s provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi confirmed this week that ward 24 councillor Zameka Gajula had lodged a complaint with the provincial ANC leadership about the conduct of chief whip Mzwandile Vaaibom.
Ngcukayitobi said the party had established a committee consisting of provincial executive committee members to probe the matter.
“We are concerned and troubled as the party that one of our senior members could be accused of such serious misconduct against a female comrade, in full view of others, just a few weeks after women’s month. It is, however, fortunate that she was not injured in the process.
“We are currently dealing with the complaint and we are certain that by January the matter will be concluded and remedial action taken,” Ngcukayitobi said.
Numerous attempts to get comment from Gajula, who was attending the ANC national elective conference in Johannesburg, proved fruitless at the time of writing yesterday.
Vaaibom said he had responded on the matter in writing to the party.
“Since the party is now dealing with the matter, I’d rather not speak about it in the media.
“All I can say at this moment is that it is not true that I threw a cup of coffee towards her.”
The Daily Dispatch understands that the incident took place after a special meeting which the two councillors attended.
Sources close to the issue told the Dispatch that after “a heated argument” between the two, Vaaibom, who was holding a cup of coffee at the time, threw the cup and its hot contents at Gajula. However, she sidestepped and the cup and the coffee missed her by inches.
Another source told the Dispatch that there had been a longstanding impasse between the two over their political preferences in the Dr WB Rubusana (BCM) region, the province and the buildup to the party’s national conference.
“This incident is a culmination of tense BCM politics. So this standoff, which took place while the two were enjoying a tea break, has long been brewing,” said the source.
BCM executive mayor Xola Pakati refused to comment, referring queries to the region’s acting regional secretary Gura Maleki, who could not be reached.
Council speaker Alfred Mtsi confirmed he was part of the meeting.
“We are aware of the incident but because the matter has since been referred to the regional ANC and the province and is now being handled at that level, I cannot get into details,” said Mtsi. —