Cogta steps in to censure three BCM councillors

The axe is expected to fall on three Buffalo City Metro councillors implicated in wrongdoing in recent years.

The three ANC members facing dismissal by Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha are Kuhle Ciliza from ward 1, ward 20’s Ntombizodwa Gamnca and ward 10’s Roseline Vitbooi.

Ciliza allegedly demanded a R50,000 kickback in March 2019 from a musician who had been awarded funding by the metro.

Gamnca was found guilty in the East London magistrate’s court in March 2019 of robbery and intimidation, for which she received a four-year suspended sentence and a R10,000 fine.

Vitbooi was arrested by the Hawks in December 2019 and accused of pocketing a R5,000 municipal donation meant for a grieving family in July 2017. Her court case is ongoing.

The Dispatch understands the three were served with letters on Tuesday by Nqatha that give them until next Tuesday to explain why they should not be fired. Nqatha confirmed on Thursday that he had written the letters after the BCM council failed to follow instructions from his office to act. Instead council let the matters drag on.

He declined to comment further, saying this was still a “sensitive matter” which he could not discuss with the media.

Numerous attempts to elicit comment from Gamnca and Vitbooi were unsuccessful on Thursday.

Ciliza asked the Dispatch how the information about her pending axing had been obtained, saying the communication was “between myself and the MEC”.

Later she said she had yet to receive the letter from Nqatha, but confirmed she had received a call from the MEC’s office informing her of the letter.

“Even if I had received such correspondence I would not comment, because this is a matter between myself, council and the MEC,” she said before referring further queries to council speaker Humphrey Maxhegwana.

Maxhegwana said he was unaware of any letters being served on the trio, but confirmed there had been a council resolution to send their cases to the council’s ethics committee, which is chaired by former council speaker and ANC councillor Luleka Simon-Ndzele.

Simon-Ndzele could not be reached on Thursday.

Maxhegwana said the committee had asked council for an extension.

“I am unsure when they will submit a report to council,” Maxhegwana said.

In March 2019, it was reported that Ciliza allegedly demanded a kickback from a Duncan Village-based musician after sending him a Facebook message saying the council had approved his funding request for R904,000 to promote his new album with a countrywide tour.

The court will deal with text messages allegedly from Ciliza demanding the kickback.

Former Hawks spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said at the time of Vitbooi’s arrest that Vitbooi had demanded half the money granted as relief to a destitute Duncan Village family who lost three family members in a blaze. The family paid up.

Gamnca was accused of hurling insults and threats of assault at fellow ANC councillor Mkhuseli “Gidla” Nombewu in 2018.

She was also accused of stealing Nombewu’s cellphone, which almost led to a brawl between the two at the party’s BCM regional offices in East London in December 2018.

Gamnca is the subject of a police investigation after several Mdantsane residents filed complaints accusing her of selling houses to residents and failing to deliver the title deeds.