Grocott's Mail
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Saturday, May 24
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Grocott's Mail
    • NEWS
      • Courts & Crime
      • Features
      • Politics
      • People
      • Health & Well-being
    • SPORT
      • News
      • Results
      • Sports Diary
      • Club Contacts
      • Columns
      • Sport Galleries
      • Sport Videos
    • OPINION
      • Election Connection
      • Makana Voices
      • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
      • Newtown… Old Eyes
      • Incisive View
      • Your Say
    • ARTSLIFE
      • Cue
        • Cue Archives
      • Makana Sharp!
      • Visual Art
      • Literature
      • Food
      • Festivals
      • Community Arts
      • Going Places
    • OUR TOWN
      • What’s on
      • Spiritual
      • Emergency & Well-being
      • Covid-19
      • Safety
      • Civic
      • Municipality
      • Weather
      • Properties
        • Grahamstown Properties
      • Your Town, Our Town
    • OUTSIDE
      • Enviro News
      • Gardening
      • Farming
      • Science
      • Conservation
      • Motoring
      • Pets/Animals
    • ECONOMIX
      • Business News
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Personal Finance
    • EDUCATION
      • Education NEWS
      • Education OUR TOWN
      • Education INFO
    • EDITORIAL
    Grocott's Mail
    You are at:Home»NEWS»ANC holds Sarah Baartman District as two EFF councillors allegedly break ranks
    NEWS

    ANC holds Sarah Baartman District as two EFF councillors allegedly break ranks

    Rod AmnerBy Rod AmnerNovember 28, 2021Updated:December 2, 2021No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Newly-elected Speaker of the Sarah Baartman District Council (SBDM), Nomhle Gaga, speaks during an interview with Ndlambe FM after the ANC's victory in the SBDM council elections on Thursday 25 November. Gaga, a former Makhanda mayor, was ousted from her mayorship at the end of 2018, but is set to resign from the SBDM and return to Makana as mayor soon. Photo: Ndlambe FM

    By ROD AMNER

    The African National Congress (ANC) held onto its control of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM) during the inaugural ceremony on Thursday, 25 November, despite controlling just 14 of 30 seats on the council.

    According to Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader in SBDM, councillor Karen Smith, two of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors voted with the ANC.

    The ANC needed the help of either the DA (12 seats), the EFF (three seats) or FF+ (one seat). A total of 16 councillors voted in former Makhanda mayor Nomhle Gaga as Speaker and Mzimkhulu ‘Scara’ Njadayi as Executive Mayor of the SBFM.

    The inauguration of the council was overshadowed this week by the shocking news that Njadayi had died after chairing an SBDC meeting in Gqebera on Wednesday, 1 December.

    According to a report in the EP Herald on Friday, 26 November, Njadayi said he had talks with DA councillors on the sidelines to clinch his win. Njadayi had alleged that some DA councillors were unhappy with Smith’s candidacy for the mayoralty.

    However, Smith told Grocott’s Mail there was “absolutely no truth” in the allegations that DA councillors may have voted with the ANC. She said that one EFF councillor had voted for the DA, while the other two voted with the ANC.

    EFF leader Julius Malema made it clear that the party would not support any mayoral candidates put forward by the ANC. Grocott’s is awaiting comment from EFF provincial leader Yazini Tetyana on the matter.

    The DA’s Smith said her party had “successfully taken the ANC to the brink of defeat [in the SBDM]where the ANC’s Mayoral Candidate edged out the DA’s Mayoral Candidate by a mere two votes,” Smith said.

    “Regarding my candidacy, I had the full support of my caucus and the Federal Executive. Again, this is a false narrative created by the ANC to shift the focus away from the two EFF councillors to protect them.”

    “We have laid a foundation for a new government in time to come. Over the coming months, we will work hard to build a strong, united and effective voting block to hold the ANC accountable,” Smith added.

    Meanwhile, despite being elected speaker of the SBDM, Nomhle Gaga is the ANC NEC’s choice to be Makana Mayor, according to an official ANC press statement released on Monday 22 November. Reliable sources say Gaga is likely to resign as SBDM speaker soon.

    Newly-elected Makana Mayor Yandiswa Vara will also resign. This will allow Gaga and Vara to ‘swap’ positions.

    Previous ArticleWhen research is for the people back home
    Next Article Omicron is the new COVID kid on the block: five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately
    Rod Amner
    • Website

    Comments are closed.

    Code of Ethics and Conduct
    GROCOTT’S SUBSCRIPTION
    RMR
    Listen to RMR


    Humans of Makhanda

    Humans of Makhanda

    Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

    © 2025 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.