The ANC provincial executive committee’s decision to recall Amathole district municipality troika this week has drawn mixed reactions from the parallel structures of the ANC Youth League in the Amathole region.
The ANC provincial leadership recalled Amathole district municipality mayor Nceba Ndikinda, council speaker Nondumiso Mgidlana and chief whip Nonceba Mfecane on Tuesday.
Tensions simmered over the debacle involving axed municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba, whose recent reappointment was declared illegal and set aside by a court.
The province wanted Mnyimba to leave after his contract came to an end, but the municipal bosses opted to retain him in May.
Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha’s report revealed that Mnyimba’s matric certificate “could not be verified”, and he did not meet the minimum requirements to take over the lucrative job.
The defiant council stared down the barrel after it joined a legal battle challenging the court ruling against Mnyimba.
Reacting to the axing of the troika, ANCYL regional secretary Evuya Maneli described the move as “disappointing and unjustified”.
However, Maneli acknowledged that recalling deployees was a prerogative of the PEC “considering a variety of elements of both strategic and tactical value”.
“The unique challenges that face the movement in general and in the specific context of the ADM, the decision to recall the troika as executed by ANC provincial leadership is regrettable,” he said in a statement.
“It is contrary to the principles of open engagement and participation with regard to such decisions.
“The ANCYL REC [regional executive committee] deemed it necessary to put matters [in] perspective, following the flawed narrative expressed by the ANC PEC in its statement, including the interviews by the provincial secretary with media.
“The ADM troika was recalled for challenging a judgment which granted against the appointment of the municipal manager, which is a lawful action that is not prohibited by any ANC rules, constitutional provisions or even in terms of laws that govern municipalities.
“It is our considered view that it is within the rights of the council and everyone who was a respondent in the matter to challenge the judgment.
“The laws of our country provide legal recourse for citizens and entities involved in litigation.”
He slammed the parent body for “punishing deployees for exercising their rights”, saying it had acted prematurely as the matter involving Mnyimba was before the court.
“It is commonplace in numerous government institutions that a decision is taken to appeal court judgments that are deemed as unfavourable,” Maneli said.
“The ANCYL REC is convinced that the ANC PEC has not submitted cogent and valid reasons for opposing the council’s decision to apply for the rescission of the court order against the appointment of the municipal manager.”
Maneli felt the ANC acted against the troika in an attempt to thwart the ongoing court battle over Mnyimba.
He said the PEC had an axe to grind against Amathole after the party’s regional leadership did not support its campaign for a second term during the elective provincial conference earlier in 2022.
However, the other faction of the ANCYL was not singing from the same hymn book.
Regional chair Luyanda Tenge said they welcomed the axing of the municipal bosses, saying it was long overdue.
"[It] brings hope to the people of Amathole whose only hope and weapon to respond to the triple crisis of poverty, unemployment and inequality is the ANC,” Tenge said.
He urged the incoming troika, yet to be announced, to tackle issues affecting young people including high unemployment rate.
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.