EFF disputes claim that councillor has rejoined ANC
THE EFF in the Northern Cape has rubbished claims that EFF councillor Olebogeng Tumodi has returned to the ANC.
A press conference was held by the ANC Frances Baard region on November 17 to announce that Tumodi, a Phokwane Municipality EFF councillor, had rejoined the ANC.
Tumodi was not present at the press conference.
The ANC lost its stronghold at Phokwane Municipality when Tumodi, who was the former ANC mayor, contested and won a ward during the by-elections as an EFF councillor in April.
This resulted in there being 10 opposition councillors from the EFF, DA, FF+, Phokwane Service Delivery Forum and the Forum 4 Service Delivery, while the ANC occupied nine seats in council.
Tumodi was expelled from the ANC in January after the party found him guilty of misconduct, not attending ANC caucuses and collaborating with the opposition.
ANC regional spokesperson Sedukanelo Tshepo Louw stated at Thursday’s press conference that the party was regaining its political dominance in the Frances Baard region.
“The ANC in the region recently welcomed an EFF member serving as a ward councillor in Phokwane Local Municipality. He has relinquished his membership of the EFF and taken a decision to join the ANC. Tumodi is the ward councillor of ward 3 in the Phokwane sub-region,” said Louw.
Louw indicated that Tumodi had voluntarily chosen to rejoin the ANC.
“Tumodi is back where he belongs. He approached us to rejoin the organisation. He believes that the organisation is caring and truly concerned about confronting and solving the challenges facing the electorate.
“Tumodi will be enrolled in a political rehabilitation programme and other auxiliary political education programmes through the OR Tambo School of Leadership in order to ensure that he is correctly inducted and trained to understand the constitution, policies and traditions of the ANC.”
Louw stated that Tumodi would not contest the up-coming by-elections as a councillor.
“We have no doubt that he will make a valuable contribution given the skills and knowledge he already possesses.”
Louw claimed that service delivery at the municipality had “drastically improved”, including the provision of water, sanitation services and the condition of the roads.
“The ANC is better able to respond to the needs of our people.”
He stated that the ANC could not be blamed for stalling the implementation of the forensic report into irregularities at Phokwane Municipality.
“We are the minority party, if they wanted to, the opposition could have implemented the findings a long time ago. The ANC is against corruption and encourages that anyone who is implicated be dealt with harshly.”
Louw added that the region supported Cyril Ramaphosa to serve a second term.
EFF provincial secretary Zet Kwinana expressed his “utmost disgust” at the “misleading and demonstration of political short-sightedness of the ANC in the Frances Baard region and the Northern Cape” following the announcement.
“It demonstrates a lack of political foresight, dwarfism and immaturity.”
Kwinana indicated that he, along with EFF provincial chairperson Shadrack Tlhaole, had paid Tumodi a courtesy visit after hearing the news.
“It came out that there is no truth to what the ANC has communicated. Fighter Olebogeng Tumodi is still an EFF member in good standing and an EFF ward 3 councillor at Phokwane Municipality.
“The ANC’s plan of paralysing Phokwane Municipality and bringing it to its knees in the same way it has plunged it into a dysfunctional state, will not see the light of the day. It is clear that the ANC remain sore losers.”
Kwinana noted that the ANC had “thrown Tumodi into a political dustbin”.
“It is sad to witness premature excitement displayed by the ANC without facts and verification. Money can’t buy everything; stomach politics is not sustainable and the ANC is a perfect example thereof.
“Phokwane Municipality represents a milking cow to the ANC. The ANC does not worry about the welfare of the Phokwane community, hence service delivery comes secondary to their selfish interests.
“It is clear that the ANC will soon be calling for Phokwane Municipality to be dissolved because it is unable to do as it pleases.”