Senior Amathole district councillor Nyathela set to be axed from ANC

In what could be seen as a move to stamp its authority on dissenting voices, the ANC in the Eastern Cape is said to be forging ahead to have its senior councillor at Amathole district municipality, Nomfesana Nyathela, expelled from the party.

Nyathela also doubles as the district’s engineering and infrastructure services mayoral committee head.

The Dispatch has reliably learnt that Nyathela will be informed of her axing when she meets party leaders on either Friday or Monday.

While party insiders told the Dispatch this week that Nyathela would be hauled before party bosses on Friday, she, however, said the meeting was scheduled for Monday.

The planned axing comes after Nyathela recently filed a court affidavit in support of removed ADM municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba, which goes against the party’s resolution.

In the affidavit, Nyathela says a resolution was never taken at the August 11 council meeting for ADM to withdraw its involvement in Mnyimba’s case, which is expected back in court on October 4.

However, insiders said the resolution was indeed taken at a council meeting on July 6.

It was only implemented on August 11 when a new political leadership, led by mayor Anele Ntsangani, took office.

Nyathela’s affidavit comes after the provincial ANC instructed its deployees in Amathole to withdraw their support for Mnyimba in his court bid to have his removal from ADM administration reversed.

The Dispatch understands that Nyathela was suppose to meet party bosses this Monday but the meeting has since been moved to Friday.

Nyathela on Wednesday confirmed she had been called to a meeting but was not aware what the meeting was about.

“Yes I can confirm that indeed I filed an affidavit in court stating that there was a never a resolution in our August 11 council meeting for the municipality to withdraw its involvement in that court case. That is a fact.

“I can also confirm that I have been called to a meeting, not on Friday as you say, but on Monday, but I do not know what that meeting is about.

“I asked for that meeting to be held virtually, but I was informed that it would deal with sensitive party matters and thus cannot be held virtually,” Nyathela said on Wednesday.

Through the affidavit she filed in court, she is basically fighting the ANC

Numerous attempts to get comment from ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi and provincial spokesperson Loyiso Magqashela proved fruitless.

The provincial ANC’S convener of deployees in the Amathole region, Mncedisi Nontsele, also refused to comment.

While ADM mayor Ntsangani also could not be reached for comment, ADM council chief whip Nanziwe Rulashe said this was “a political matter I cannot discuss with the media”.

However, party insiders told the Dispatch that Nyathela’s removal from the ANC “was almost a done deal”.

“Through the affidavit she filed in court, she is basically fighting the ANC.

“The ANC had issued an instruction that the municipality be not involved in the litigation process relating to Mnyimba’s appointment, but it seems she is working against party instructions.”