Democracy???

ANC ‘thugs’ eject officials in protest

SCORES of angry ANC members stormed the municipal offices in Stutterheim yesterday and ejected officials suspected of supporting the breakaway party.

The ejected officials included the mayor, municipal manager and Speaker, all suspected of supporting the Congress of the People (Cope).

“This municipality does not belong to Cope, it belongs to the ANC,” said Nomakhosi Tsengiwe-Nongqayi, Amahlathi’s ANC sub-regional secretary. The disgruntled crowd of Amahlathi sub-region members gathered outside the offices yesterday morning, demanding that Mayor Thembekile Jonas, municipal manager Feziwe Shoba, council Speaker Esther Cossie and 24 of the 36 councillors step down immediately.

Official work came to a standstill as t he drama unfolded between 8am and 4pm.

The crowd ordered the officials to get out of their offices and demanded the keys of municipal vehicles and offices.

They then staged a sit-in inside the offices. It took police intervention to calm the ANC members who had invaded the offices. Following a discussion with the police, the group agreed to meet with the municipal officials this morning.

Senior officials said they were unable to work because of the impasse. Tsengiwe-Nongqayi claimed the trio had attended Cope meetings. She said Jonas had met Cope leader Mluleki George on many occasions, sometimes in the municipal offices.
She also alleged that Jonas had been called several times to meet with a team sent by ANC headquarters Luthuli House, but failed to do so. She also accused the three of trying to recruit Cope members into vacancies within the municipality, even if they didn’t qualify. “We have had enough of them,” said Tsengiwe- Nongqayi. “They must leave.”

Shoba denied links to Cope but said she had received a letter from the ANC provincial leadership regarding the Cope allegations. She had reassured the leadership in their correspondence that she was still a loyal member of the ANC.
Another councillor, Dumile Manyika, said while he had heard rumours doing the rounds that linked him with Cope, he was still a member of the ruling party. His membership would only expire in 2011.

“I don’t fear anybody. If I want to join Cope I will. I’m a grown man and I can take my own decisions,” he said . Jonas and Cossie could not be reached for comment. Cope provincial spokesperson Nkosifikile Gqomo described the actions of the ANC members as “thuggery”. Such behaviour showed the ANC’s disregard for State institutions, he said.

ANC acting provincial secretary Pemmy Majodina said she didn’t have all the details, and referred enquiries to Local Government MEC Toko Xasa, who was not available .

Police spokesperson Captain Thozama Solani said police were called to monitor the situation after ANC members had staged a sit-in in the municipal offices but no incidents of violence were reported. Solani said Shoba opened a case of trespassing after the angry crowd entered the offices.