Deployees tackle EC ‘hotspots’

ANC visit to four troubled municipalities

DEPLOYEES of the ANC to various regions in the Eastern Cape were hard at work yesterday, levelling the ground for the imminent changes in troikas of some municipalities.

This follows the provincial executive committee (PEC) decision last week to reshuffle council executives at four “hotspot” municipalities. These are the Walter Sisulu in Aliwal North, Enoch Mgijima in Komani, Mnquma in Butterworth and Port St Johns municipalities.

These municipalities were declared unstable, and the PEC felt this was negatively affecting service delivery.

The ANC’s deployment committee was given 14 days from last Monday, to hit the ground running and visit the affected municipalities to craft lists of possible names of people who would assist in creating stability in these municipalities.

Another category of municipalities was also identified, for ANC deployees to go and assist ANC caucuses deal with urgent matters.

Saturday Dispatch can reveal that the PEC visited Port St Johns in O R Tambo region and Kei Mouth in the Great Kei municipality yesterday, to engage the regional executive committees (RECs), as well as ANC caucuses of both municipal councils.

PEC members Weziwe Tikana and Xolile Nqatha spent most part of the day in Great Kei where workers have been protesting against the possible suspension of workers who took part in service delivery protests late last year.

ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi confirmed the visits.

“We are there to meet with the workers and also interact with the caucus, to attend to the urgent matters that have been reported, including suspension of workers.”

PEC member Blacks Gade led a team to O R Tambo yesterday to meet the regional executive, as well as the caucus of Port St Johns.

Earlier this week, another team went to Enoch Mgijima to meet the Chris Hani REC and ANC caucus of the Komani-based council, while another went to Walter Sisulu municipality to also engage ANC leaders and the council caucus in Joe Gqabi region.

“This is part of doing site visits. In Amathole, the deployees have already engaged the REC, as well as the Mnquma council caucus.

“It’s a matter of having to finalise all these issues of deployment. We will also have to go to areas such as Mnquma to meet ANC branches and stakeholders next week on Tuesday to update them about the changes in deployment,” said Ngcukayitobi.