Party skimishes start

In an early salvo, the ANC’s Kouga municipal caucus has accused the DA of disregarding legislation, and corruption, in processes around the appointment of a municipal manager there.

DA councillors in the DAled municipality have also been accused by the ANC, in a media statement dated 16 February, of manipulating the housing list to accommodate family and friends.

“The ANC whilst governing Kouga facilitated a smooth process for the allocation of houses in the area hence the contractor on site. We will be following up the matter to expose all forms of corruption related this matter,” the ANC caucus said.

Outrage by the DA in Makana at the alleged flouting of procedure in the appointment of ward committee members in this municipality - an item that came up in a recent Council meeting - is matched by allegations in the 16 February statement that a ward councillor in Kouga irregularly appointed his own ward committee, hand-picking DA members in disregard of Council policy.

In its statement, the ANC says, “The ANC wishes to state one thing categorically clear without fear or favour that it will take on DA deliberate disregard of legislation in favour of corruption for party politics.”

On Tuesday, DA Makana Caucus Leader Mlindi Nhanha issued a statement demanding the reinstatement of Nosimo Balindlela’s photograph in the Makana Council Chamber.

“The DA has noted with utter dismay the removal of Mrs Nosimo Balindlela’s photograph from the display inside the council chamber,” Nhanha said in the statement.

“Presently, on the walls of the council chamber are photographs of all post 1994 Presidents, Eastern Cape Premiers (except that of Mrs Balindlela) and Makana mayors including individuals in [Zamuxolo] Peter whom we should be embarrassed to be associated with.

“Under Peter’s watch and stewardship our municipality was bankrupted and none of those implicated were ever called to account. Instead they were rewarded with promotions either to Bhisho or the Sarah Baartman District Municipality,” Nhanha said.

“It is childish of the ANC to try and wipe away the well documented legacy of Mrs Balindlela in the struggle against apartheid and her sterling contribution in building a society in which freedom, fairness and opportunity as envisaged by Nelson Mandela is a reality... the DA demands an immediate reinstatement of Mrs Balindlela’s official photograph and we’ll be submitting a motion of question for the mayor to account. And an apology be sent to Mrs. Balindlela for this unfortunate situation.” Nhanha said councillors had first noticed that the photograph had been removed two years ago. "Gone are the days that the ANC does as it pleases," Nhanha said. ‒ Sue Maclennan