Two days before the induction of Makana's new mayor, a union official warned that "something big is coming" and was joined by the local leadership of Cosatu and the Young Communists League in declaring that they would make Grahamstown ungovernable unless the ANC met its demands.
Two days before the induction of Makana's new mayor, a union official warned that "something big is coming" and was joined by the local leadership of Cosatu and the Young Communists League in declaring that they would make Grahamstown ungovernable unless the ANC met its demands.
Around 20 disgruntled ANC members sang, danced and picketed outside the city hall on Tuesday, declaring that the selection process which had yielded former Riebeek East mayor Zamuxolo Peter and Rachel Madinda as Makana mayor and speaker, respectively, was flawed. The placard-waving crowd chanted pro-Paul Notyawa slogans and demanded that the ruling party restart the selection process.
Notyawa, who heads Cosatu's provincial legal unit, is backed by Cosatu, SACP and the Young Communists League. At a subsequent press conference, Cosatu secretary in Makana, Sizakele Makabe, South Africa Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union organiser Rocky Kolweni and Young Communists League secretary Bongani Hanise said they rejected the newly elected council leadership announced at a recent regional summit in Addo, where Peter, Madinda and members of the mayoral committee were endorsed by the Cacadu region.
They objected to the fact that the leaders had not been chosen by the ANC branches. They said they rejected Peter, Madinda, the party's chief whip, and some of the mayoral committee members announced at the Addo Summit.
Ward 10 councillor-elect Vuyani Kolisi is chief whip and members of the full-time mayoral committee were announced as follows: Paul Notyawa (head of corporate services portfolio committee) Mthuthuzeli "Mabhuti" Matyumza (head of land, housing, infrastructure development portfolio committee) Pierre Ranchhod (head of budget, treasury and IDP portfolio committee) Nombulelo Masoma (head of economic development, tourism and heritage portfolio committee) Nomhle Gaga (head of social services and community empowerment portfolio committee) Kolweni said Cosatu was opposed to Peter's deployment as mayor, because they believed Notyawa would serve the community better.
He said they were mobilising support for the Notyawa campaign. "Something big is coming," warned Kolweni. Hanise said the Young Communists League was worried about recurring financial irregularities in Makana Municipality in recent years. He also claimed that some of the mayoral committee members were "incapable" of delivering on their job requirements.
The crowd demanded that the ANC reverse the selection process and start a more transparent process, through which its members would elect leaders of their choice. The trio threatened to make Grahamstown ungovernable, should the ANC not give in to their pressure and meet their demand. The crowd picketed for about half an hour during the lunch hour. Despite the lack of a police presence, no acts of intimidation, vandalism or violence threatened.
Speaking on behalf of the ruling party, Matyumza denied that the selection process was flawed and argued that the party's branches nominated not only councillor candidates, but also the council's leaders. These names, he said, had been submitted to the regional leadership.
Matyumza confirmed that Peter, Madinda and Kolisi had been announced as council leaders at a recent summit in Addo and that no representatives of the tripartite alliance attending the meeting had raised any objections. Matyumza said the mayoral committee members would be finalised during the course of the week, due to some "challenges" – the nature of which he did not divulge.
He did, however, say that he would accept any position the party assigned to him. Meanwhile, similar protests have been taking place in Port Alfred throughout this week, with residents rejecting Sipho Thandani's election to the highest office in Ndlambe Municipality. The protesters have said they want former ANC mayoral front-runner, Phindile Faxi, instead.
