Ward 20 protests on hold as ANC collects fraud complaints

Heated protest action in Mdantsane this week came to a halt on Thursday when ANC provincial bosses called on residents with evidence against ward 20 councillor Ntombizodwa Gamnca to hand in statements at Calata House.

Since Monday, disgruntled residents and ANC supporters have been protesting in NU6 and NU7, calling on the party to fire Gamnca after she removed “caretaker” PR councillor Ncedo Kumbaca from the ward office. He had been deployed to act in her place after she was suspended in March.

On Tuesday the protesters burnt tyres, preventing workers and residents from entering BCM’s NU6 municipal offices.

Speaking to the Dispatch on Thursday, complainant Sindiswa Magela said: “The victims of her fraud met with lawyers in Calata House today.

“There were about 13 of us but other community members who are also fed up came to support us.”

Magela said they wanted to clear up the issue of R300,000 she claims was paid to Gamnca, who allegedly sold her a house last year and failed to deliver a title deed.

“We met with the ANC legal team and gave them all the evidence we have.

“Following that engagement we have decided to stop protesting for now because they seem to be acting on our plea.

“We don’t want her as a ward councillor.”

A battle over the ward office keys also took a new turn on Thursday when residents claimed they were back in Gamnca’s hands. The police had closed the office and taken the keys to the city hall.

ANC BCM chief whip Mawethu Marata said: “There was a miscommunication when the police left the keys at my office. One of the officials mistakenly gave the keys back to Gamnca on Wednesday because he did not understand that there was conflict involved in this situation. I have since asked them to sort out this mess and get the key back.”

Attempts to get Gamnca to comment on Thursday were unsuccessful as she did not answer her phone or messages sent to her.

ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the calling of the residents to Calata House was part of the ANC’s internal processes, which he did not want to dwell on.

“We can’t comment further on this as these are internal processes. We are proceeding with the disciplinary action as we said before,” he said.

One of the officials mistakenly gave the keys back