ANC regional secretary Musa Nciki is out on bail after his arrest earlier this year for alleged reckless driving and operating an unlicensed vehicle. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
A power play is taking place within the ANC in the eThekwini region with an attempt to muzzle regional secretary Musa Nciki.
During the latest meeting of the party’s regional executive committee (REC) at Durban’s City Hall on Monday, an unsuccessful attempt was made to place on the agenda the issue of Nciki being subjected to the party’s step-aside policy and for him to be excluded from the meeting.
Nciki is out on bail after his arrest earlier this year for alleged reckless driving and operating an unlicensed vehicle.
It is understood that there was a swift discussion of the matter that included ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) deployees Mthandeni Dlungwane, Bongi Sithole-Moloi and Nonhlanhla Khoza. They resolved that the meeting should continue as the matter was not an issue that could be dealt with by the REC.
Nciki then delivered his reports on political input and organisational work to the meeting.
Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede was elected the region’s chairperson but stepped aside as she is currently on trial for charges which include conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, fraud and money laundering in relation to a R300 million DSW contract.
The step-aside policy prevents her from chairing party meetings in the eThekwini region.
The step-aside rule is an internal policy of the party, which requires members charged with corruption or other serious crimes to voluntarily “step aside” from participation in party and government activities, or face suspension.
The party’s PEC and the National Executive Committee are the bodies that can make a step-aside determination against Nciki and they have not linked his charges to allegations of corruption.
A senior party source said the developments in the ANC were related to contestation and the eThekwini region was seen as the base for contestation.
“It is a divisive issue and part of the bigger politics playing out in the province.
“There are elements of the cut and thrust of this contestation and we see it in the extent that attempts are made to destabilise the REC meetings.”
Another source said the contestation within the eThekwini REC had escalated since the beginning of the year and every meeting since has “not been stable”.
“The issues in the REC have been raised with the Secretary-General (Fikile Mbalula) and officials from his department have been asked to intervene but this has gone on for 10 months.”
They said issues with who had been elected to leadership positions and who had not, remained the key bone of contention at the meetings.
“At one stage on Monday there were concerns that the meeting would not conclude – the issues in the REC have not been resolved and this is not helping,” the source said.
Approached for comment, ANC eThekwini region spokesperson Mondli Mkhize said that the official records stated that Nciki attended the meeting until it was adjourned.
“He was never asked to leave, he was part of the meeting.”
He said the issue of the step aside policy “rests within the PEC and the NEC”.
“The REC does not determine whether a person should step aside or not, there has never been an incident where a region discusses the policy.”
Mkhize said there are no tensions between individuals in the eThekwini REC.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele referred all requests for comment on the matter to the eThekwini region.
Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the key issue with the ANC’s step-aside policy was that it has been applied inconsistently.
“It has been used to deal with those not part of the dominant faction and to sideline them as political opponents.”
Breakfast said political pressure had forced the ANC to apply the step-aside ruling to those who are part of the dominant faction – listing former minister of sports, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa and former speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as examples.
“Even when it comes to allegations against Minister of Justice, Thembi Simelane, the party and the president have not acted, he says he is still applying his mind.”
Simelane appeared before the ANC’s Integrity Commission in September and furnished a report to President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding allegations about a loan she received during her tenure as mayor of the Polokwane Municipality.
The loan was from Gundo Wealth Solutions, a financial services company that invested R349 million from the Polokwane Municipality in the VBS Mutual Bank.
The Mercury
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