The ANC in the Dullah Omar region has accused the party’s provincial leadership of being nefarious in overlooking regional chairperson Ndithini Tyhido for a vacant councillor position in the City council.
Instead, the provincial leadership wants the post filled by Thando Dedezane, who is next on the reserve candidate list. The vacancy arose after Noluthando Makasi was deployed to become an MP.
Regional secretary Mvusi Mdala said the regional executive committee, which was elected in August 2023, resolved that Tyhido serve as a proportional representation (PR) councillor.
“The region patiently waited for the vacancy in order to avoid any disruption of the stability of the ANC in the caucus. Now that the vacancy has arisen and in light of comrade Thandi Makasi ascending to the National Assembly, we seek to exercise the right to replenish the list and implement this decision.”
He said the nomination of Tyhido was made to ensure there was proper alignment between its caucus and the party’s regional office.
“This is critically important for coordination of responsibilities in the caucus, our organisation and our communities.”.
Mdala also said they followed due processes by submitting Tyhido’s name with reasons to the office of provincial secretary Neville Delport.
This was apparently after the provincial leadership asked the region to submit their preferred name last month.
“To our utter dismay, the provincial secretary unilaterally ignored this decision for nefarious reasons.
This is done simply to undermine the region and dispense patronage disguised as accommodating the Alliance. This is a ploy to divide the Alliance in the region. It is a way to emasculate the region and undermine its constitutionally guaranteed powers,” he said.
Mdala said the region had written to the office of secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on the matter.
“We exhausted all internal processes in the organisation that are available to us.”
He announced that they had instructed their lawyers to interdict the filling of Makasi’s vacant position by Dedezane until the matter was resolved.
ANC provincial spokesperson Khalid Sayed said it was not within the culture of the party to engage in public spats on internal organisational matters.
“The provincial secretary implements the decisions of the collective.
Thando is next on the list so the PEC simply went according to the list of the IEC,” Sayed said.
Sayed said the PEC took strong exception to the region engaging publicly in the manner it did.
“The current socio-political climate demands we instil confidence amongst the public that we are serious about addressing issues,” Sayed said.
Cape Times