Chris Hani polarised over Enoch Mgijima takeover

Placing the embattled Enoch Mgijima municipality under administration has divided the ANC in the Chris Hani district, with one leader believing the decision will come back to haunt the governing party at next year’s polls.

In a statement on Tuesday, ANC Komani cluster co-ordinator Mxolisi Oliphant said the party was acting like a soccer player scoring an own goal when it invoked section 139 (1) (b) of the constitution.

“Despite the fact that there is no model of success from section 139 and the financial support promised by co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Zweli Mkhize, the ANC is hell-bent on blindly invoking it.

“Why rush to destroy what we are building from ashes?”

Oliphant, who had been campaigning for mayor Sisisi Tolashe to be given room to turn the municipality around, blasted ANC regional secretary Lusanda Sizani, accusing him of “fighting anything that is attempting to unite the people in saving the municipality”.

“It does not need a rocket scientist to know that Sizani is used as a conveyor belt from the upper level and all this has done [is] risk destroying the ANC.”

However, Sizani hit back, saying Oliphant was mischievous.

He said the party did not have clusters.

Oliphant said he co-ordinated the Komani cluster.

“We have a subregion and Oliphant is dividing the community and bringing the ANC into disrepute. If he continues with this, we will have to take him to a disciplinary hearing. He is fabricating lies and misrepresenting the ANC.”

While infighting has gripped the ANC over the need for Bhisho to take over the day-today running of the municipality, the EFF believes the only way to improve service delivery is to dissolve the council.

EFF councillor Luthando Amos applauded Tolashe for bringing political stability in the municipality.

“However, the municipality cannot be run by an individual. There is no hope that the municipality can be saved, it is already in the graveyard.”