VICTORY FOR PROTESTERS ANC to suspend top Sol officials and pay bail

IN A MAJOR victory for the thousands of protesters who last week brought the city to its knees, leaving a trail of unprecedented destruction, mayhem and looting, the provincial ANC has not only agreed to suspend the Sol Plaatje municipal manager and chief financial officer but the party has also promised to pay the bail of the more than 200 people arrested during the protests.

The city’s executive mayor, Mangaliso Matika, will, however, stay.

At a media briefing yesterday afternoon, the ANC provincial secretary, Deshi Ngxanga, said the party’s provincial office had engaged in a number of meetings since the first peaceful protests in an attempt to find an amicable solution to the impasse.

“We have over time met with various stakeholders in society who have come forth in an effort to find common ground and this morning we met with the representatives of the community as well as the regional leadership in the Frances Baard region to resolve the issues,” Ngxanga said.

“The ANC has advised the Sol Plaatje City Council that the municipal manager (Gooalm Akharwaray) and the chief financial officer (Lydia Mahloko) be suspended in order to allow for unhindered investigations.”

Ngxanga added that the ANC would also intervene to ensure that the interdict instituted by the municipal manager and the chief financial officer against two community leaders – Wanya Tsotsi’s Pantsi Obusitse and Tumelo Mosikare – be withdrawn.

“We want to ensure that we are able to interact with the community and that they can raise their concerns with us and they cannot do so if there is an interdict against their leaders. We have instructed the executive mayor to tell his officials to withdraw this interdict.”

Ngxanga said the party would further ensure that those arrested were released soon. “They were arrested because they were raising their concerns. As the ANC we will assist them in paying for their bail.”

He added that the bail money ranged from around R1 000 to R2 000 in some cases. “In our consultations there were reports that the total amount might exceed R300 000. As the ANC we must look at how this money can been raised as they were arrested while voicing their concerns. The ANC will always protect the interests of the community.”

The party will establish a stakeholder committee consisting of representatives from the Department of Coghsta, the Sol Plaatje Municipality, community representatives and the ANC “to meet frequently to address all the grievances”.

“We are not dismissing the fact that the grievances raised are genuine, but there is a need for a proper platform, with representation from everyone involved, to ensure that we reach a lasting solution. This committee will provide such a platform.”

He reiterated that schools would reopen as scheduled today. “Schooling will not be disrupted and we will, as the ANC, monitor the reopening of schools and we encourage all community members to desist from any violent activity.”

Regarding calls by the community for Matika to resign, Ngxanga pointed out that the executive mayor was appointed by the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), and the provincial office could only make a recommendation to the PEC.

“There is no way the provincial office can instruct the PEC to withdraw the mayor. We can only make recommendations which will be discussed by the PEC. However, these recommendations must include plausible reasons why the executive mayor should be suspended.”

He added that the two reasons given by the protesters for the dismissal of Matika was that he was arrogant and that he had not dismissed the municipal manager and the CFO.

“The mayor stated that he had not been arrogant and he explained that he also did not have the powers to suspend the two officials.”

Ngxanga said the organisation’s decision to recommend the suspension of the two officials, after the party originally only advised that they go on long leave, had followed information regarding “serious allegations, one of which was tender fraud”.

“There were allegations that a PR company was appointed and this needs to be properly investigated, which cannot be done if the officials implicated are still there.”

Meanwhile, in response to questions regarding the extent of the damages caused in the city, Ngxanga said that the financial costs had not yet been determined.

“It is regrettable, however, that if community members are unhappy about an issue that they resort to damaging buildings and infrastructure. We appeal to the community that if they are unhappy to put in a request to march and to do so peacefully. I am totally unhappy and shocked by what happened in Kimberley.”

He further advised residents to “come to the ANC offices if they do not get a response to their issues from officials”.

“These officials must remember that some of their contracts are coming to an end soon. If they do not deliver, their contracts will not be renewed.”

According to Ngxanga, the ANC had instructed the Sol Plaatje Municipality to retain the old electricity tariff structure.

“During the course of the year, we will reflect on whether this tariff is reasonable and affordable. The R260 has been squashed as the council did not have proper consultation with the community. This has been brushed off the table.”

Addressing allegations that the tariffs charged by Sol Plaatje were exceptionally high, Ngxanga stated that a team had been assigned to look into this and to compare the tariffs with those at other municipalities around the country.

“An announcement in this regard will be made in the next two weeks. Are our tariffs really that high . . . we must check that.

“We understand that the community has serious challenges but they cannot burn down facilities to show their unhappiness.”

Ngxanga added, however, that “comrades employed to government needed to be responsive to the needs of the community and there will be consequences for non-performance”.

“We will take them out if they do not communicate properly.”

Regarding allegations made by the DA that the ANC provincial chairperson, Zamani Saul, was himself in arrears with the municipality for an amount of R121 000, it was pointed out that this account was being queried and Saul’s wife had been “up and down to the municipality”.

“If anyone has outstanding debt, they must pay,” Ngxanga added. “We are struggling just as much as anyone else, but as ANC comrades we cannot expect any favours and must pay our electricity accounts like everyone else. We also urge government departments to settle their accounts so that the municipality has the money to provide services. It is simply: If you do not pay, your electricity must be cut and this applies to everyone. It is a disgrace for comrades deployed to government not to pay their accounts.”

On behalf of the ANC, he further apologised “to all the businesses that were negatively affected during the violent protests and finds it regrettable that municipal as well as private property was destroyed”.

“The violent protests and the looting has, in the main, affected mostly the working class and the poor, which is regrettable,” Ngxanga concluded.