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Newly sworn-in ANC MPL Antonio Carels has dismissed speculation that he was persuaded to withdraw from the race for the position of regional secretary in the ANC’s Dr WB Rubusana region in exchange for a seat in the Bhisho legislature.
Rumours of a political arrangement have circulated since the ANC’s fifth regional conference in December, where Carels unexpectedly withdrew his candidacy for another term as regional secretary.
His withdrawal paved the way for Anele Lizo to be elected unopposed, fuelling claims within party circles that a deal had been struck in which Carels would later be deployed to the provincial legislature, while Lizo assumed the full-time regional secretary role.
Carels was sworn in at the KuGompo City Hall by provincial legislature speaker Helen-Sauls August in a virtual meeting on Friday.
Following his decision not to contest in December, talks within political corridors were that Carels would be placed at the legislature as a peace-making deal in the efforts to unify the party as it heads towards the November local government elections.
Lizo, who resigned recently as an MPL, previously held the seat Carels is taking over.
You don’t choose where you want to be and there’s no arrangements made for you to go and be something else
— Antonio Carels, ANC MPL
Speaking for the first time since the December conference, Carels said that in no way was there a deal that he must withdraw his candidacy in return for a seat as an MPL.
“Those would be baseless lies from people who want to achieve whatever they want to achieve,” he said.
“I had withdrawn from that race based on my own assessment of things in the conference at the time.
“There’s no connection with withdrawal and the current position that I hold now.
“I can’t even comment on what led the leadership to decide that I must go to the provincial legislature and represent the ANC.
“You don’t choose where you want to be and there’s no arrangements made for you to go and be something else.”
Carels said he had the right experience for the position, based on his previous positions in the political space.
He said this included serving as a regional secretary, as a councillor (when he was 21 years old), as deputy chair of the oversight committee (now Mpac), and from his deployment to the engineering and infrastructure committees in council.
“So I have got my own experience of local government.
“I have interacted with speakers.
“I have interacted with different chief whips and various mayoral committee members.
“As a regional secretary, I have closely worked with those committees.”
Carels said he was ready to contribute meaningfully to any committees to which he was deployed in the legislature.
We have every confidence that he will make a positive contribution to both the ANC caucus and the legislature as a whole
— Loyiso Magqashela, ANC legislature chief whip
Having taken the seat left by Lizo, Carels is set to be part of the same legislature committees that Lizo served in.
This is according to ANC legislature chief whip Loyiso Magqashela, who said Carels’ deployment would further strengthen the ANC caucus in the provincial legislature.
“His appointment ensures continuity in the work of the legislature following the resignation of honourable Lizo,” Magqashela said.
“We have every confidence that he will make a positive contribution to both the ANC caucus and the legislature as a whole.
“Like all ANC MPLs, he will play a critical oversight role by holding the executive accountable, participating in legislative processes, considering budgets and public expenditure, and ensuring that government programmes respond effectively to the needs and aspirations of the people of the Eastern Cape.
“To ensure continuity in committee work, honourable Carels will serve on the same portfolio committees previously served by honourable Lizo.”
Lizo was meant to step down within three months after election and adhere to his full-time job as a regional secretary, however, the Rubusana December conference was one of many provincial conferences handed court interdicts, which prolonged hisofficial resignation.
On Friday, Lizo said he had to wait for court processes to commence and finalise before he could officially resign.
Lizo congratulated Carels on his new role, saying he was very much capable of excelling in it.
Daily Dispatch
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