DOP splinter group accuses Nqwazi of incompetence
Attempt to remove two party councillors from Bay council ignored, leader says
A splinter group claiming to be the rightful Defenders of the People (DOP) has accused Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Noxolo Nqwazi of incompetence.
This comes after the grouping claimed she had ignored their attempts to remove two councillors from the council.
The group led by former DA councillors who turned against the party in 2018, helping the ANC to topple the DA government in the Bay, is adamant it expelled Tukela Zumani and Florence Hermans from the party in February.
The group has since requested co-operative governance MEC Xolile Nqathi to intervene.
Trevor Louw, who identified himself as the DOP Eastern Cape leader, said the two councillors were no longer members after the national leadership disbanded the Bay DOP in February. Louw said the disbanding of the structure followed disciplinary processes against the two councillors leading to their suspension and subsequent expulsion.
At the time, DOP secretarygeneral Aubrey Maake appointed an interim regional structure which included:
● Trevor Louw as provincial co-ordinator;
● Mbulelo Manyathi as regional chair;
● Neville Higgins as regional deputy chair;
● Thembinkosi Rawula as secretary and spokesperson;
● Siyabonga Kwatsha as deputy secretary; and
● Yolanda Jassen as treasurer.
DOP president Ruphus Mphahlele also threatened to pull out of the Bay coalition, accusing the regional structure of behaving as a law unto itself.
He said that since the coalition was formed the regional structure had failed to produce a copy of the partnership agreement despite repeated requests.
Louw said they planned to stage a march to the Gqeberha City Hall today to demand that Nqwazi declare a vacancy.
“We feel that our political party is not being taken seriously, the only thing we want is to bring stability in our municipality,” Louw said.
“We don’t understand what is the reason because everything is in order according to the municipal and the electoral act.”
In February, Nqwazi wrote to the party saying she would not get involved in party politics and urged it to resolve the issues.
DOP spokesperson aligned to the allegedly expelled members and disbanded structure, Simphiwe Madlavu, said he had written to Nqwazi explaining that the impasse was an internal party dispute emanating from the party’s national leadership making decisions unilaterally.
“We dispute anything that comes from the structure since December 3,” Madlavu said.
“We have written several letters saying we don’t recognise this new structure as the region as the DOP.
“If there are any changes to be made in the formation of DOP there must be a national conference to take such a decision.”
Madlavu said the action taken by Louw and others was illegal, and that he was the designated party member with the authority to inform the Electoral Commission (IEC) about any changes to the party’s list.
He urged them to approach the courts.
“They must stop knocking on doors and going to the media, the city manager cannot judge on this matter.
“Up until they seek a court order, the two councillors are still councillors,” Madlavu said.
Yesterday evening Nqwazi said she had in fact responded to the group.
“The last time they wrote to me they said they have referred their matter to Cogta, I have responded to all their communication, but, there is a case in court where the Northern Alliance feels that we have not done due diligence in their matter before declaring vacancies.
“I don’t want to talk about a case that is in court.
“I may be incompetent according to them but I have to do due diligence to make sure that when we declare a vacancy we have satisfied ourselves.
“That is what needs to be done,” Nqwazi said.
Acting city manager Anele Qaba said the new DOP grouping had only contacted him through calls.
“They have not sent me any letters.
“We spoke over the phone and I had advised them that their matter is also subject to all the legal issues pertaining to council meeting and a need to have [a resolution] on the issue of the city manager [position] as was advised by Judge Goosen,” Qaba said.