Durban - A fresh dispute has erupted within the NFP after Chris Sibisi whose expulsion was recently set aside by the Pietermaritzburg High Court, wrote to the Alfred Duma (Ladysmith) local municipality to recall their councillor, Nathi Mthethwa.
On Friday, Canaan Mdletshe who is wrestling with Sibisi for the position of secretary-general in the NFP (National Freedom Party), wrote to the municipality to say Sibisi has no such powers.
As such, he can’t recall Mthethwa as they are not allowed to recall councillors until further notice.
This latest development has given rise to a new dispute as to whether Mthethwa will be able to take part in the mooted special council sittings where the ANC-EFF-NFP alliance is frantically fighting to topple the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party) in the local municipality and the uThukela district municipality where Mthethwa is also representing the NFP.
NEWS: A fresh dispute has erupted within the NFP after Chris Sibisi whose expulsion was recently set aside by the Pietermaritzburg High Court, wrote to the Alfred Duma (Ladysmith) municipality and UThukela district municipality to recall their only Councillor, Nathi Mthethwa.
Sibisi wrote the two letters on April 18, and addressed to Sixolile Ngiba the Municipal Manager of Alfred Duma and Bongani Mnguni of the district municipality. Sibisi and another NFP member, Teddy Thwala, recently set aside their expulsion from the party following a disciplinary hearing found to have been illegal.
Thwala is now the party’s researcher in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature where they have a representation, while Sibisi has been in the political wilderness until the victory.
However, lawyers representing the Mdletshe faction have filed court papers indicating that they intend to appeal the ruling that brought back the two.
Regarding the Alfred Duma municipality matter, Mdletshe produced letters from the IEC and court ruling to back his claims that Sibisi has no such powers to recall councillors as he claims.
“It has been brought to our attention that an individual purporting to be the secretary-general of the National Freedom Party – a Mr CHM Sibisi wrote a letter in April – claiming to replace and removing Cllr Mthethwa.
“For the record, Mr Sibisi has no authority whatsoever to act on behalf of the NFP.
“He is neither the secretary-general of the NFP, which renders his actions improper, illegal and constitutes criminality.
“We view his actions unconstitutional and improper.
“Legal actions would be instituted against him.
“Furthermore, the Independent Electoral Commission has barred the NFP from replacing or removing any councillor until some matters between the party and the commission are cleared (lEC letter attached)
“Therefore, the National Freedom Party wishes to place on record that it has not authorised any individual to change or replace any (councillor) until the IEC pronounces otherwise.
“We also wishes (sic) to caution the municipality against allowing itself to be used to settle internal conflicts,” Mdletshe wrote to the municipality.
Mdletshe said he has not received any response from the Alfred Duma local municipality after he objected to Sibisi's move.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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