ANC vows to take action over protests

Ring leaders will be hauled before integrity committee

THE ANC’S provincial leadership yesterday promised to take disciplinary action against those members who recently embarked on protest actions against the party.

The protesters had voiced displeasure over party processes they claimed were being flouted.

Disgruntled members from regions such as Buffalo City Metro, O R Tambo and Chris Hani have in recent weeks embarked on protests which included sit-ins and marches.

Among prominent individuals at the forefront of the protests were former ANC Youth League provincial chairman Ayanda Matiti, the league’s former secretary Mziwonke Ndabeni, Sanco leader in BCM Xolani Somaca and former MPL and party veteran Joe Jordaan.

Last week, close to 1 000 ANC members and religious leaders marched to the party’s provincial headquarters in King William’s Town to highlight their allegations of irregularities within party structures.

A week earlier, another group of disgruntled members staged an overnight sit-in outside Calata House, calling for, among others, the postponement of the party’s BCM elective conference which eventually sat at the weekend.

Addressing the media yesterday after the party’s two-day provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting, provincial chairman Phumulo Masualle said they had resolved “to deal” with some of those involved in the protests.

He said the party would not deal with all those involved but rather the various “ring leaders” who would soon be hauled before the provincial integrity committee.

The nine-member integrity committee, chaired by retired academic Professor Shepherd Mayatula, was yesterday officially introduced to the PEC.

Masualle said dealing with these so called “ring leaders” would be one of the committee’s immediate tasks.

“Basically we will deal with the ring leaders who call themselves ANC members while openly embarrassing and discrediting the organisation,” Masualle said.

He added that those identified would be individually summoned to Mayatula’s committee “to answer for their actions”.

He said the party was “very disappointed” to see religious leaders playing a part in “ill disciplined gatherings”.

He did not reveal what sanction the members would face if found guilty.

Speaking on behalf of the disgruntled members, Somaca yesterday dared the provincial leadership to haul them before a DC and to suspend them, saying that would be “playing into our hands”.

“That will vindicate us and show that what we have always been saying that the PEC is factional, is true.

“We are saying they must come to us, prepare the charge sheets and that is when we will be able to defend ourselves,” Somaca said.

He said they would hold a press conference this morning in Mdantsane to announce their plans going forward.

“We will be announcing a regional task team [RTT] and we will go around establishing branches across BCM because some of those that were represented in the mickey mouse conference over the weekend had not been properly formulated,” said Somaca

Masualle said the Mayatula-led committee would also soon deal with the issue of BCM leaders accused of embezzling funds meant for the memorial of former statesman Nelson Mandela in December 2013.

Newly elected BCM regional deputy chairwoman Luleka Simon-Ndzele and retained regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo are among those implicated in the scandal.

Party MPL Temba Tinta, who is a former BCM deputy mayor and MP Zukiswa Ncitha, are also implicated.

Mayatula said his committee had no powers to discipline members but could recommend action to be taken.