Sihlwayi 'deliberately sabotaged' 16 days of activism launch - ANC
[caption id="attachment_191487" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi
File picture: Brian Witbooi[/caption]
The ANC in the Eastern Cape has accused social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi of deliberately sabotaging the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign at the weekend.
The event, held at the Nelson Mandela University Missionvale campus on Saturday, was poorly attended.
President Jacob Zuma, who was to be a keynote speaker, failed to show and was replaced – once proceedings were already underway – by Minister of Women Susan Shabangu.
In a statement on Monday morning, provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said they were not surprised by the non-attendance of the launch by both Bay and Eastern Cape citizens.
“The event was deliberately sabotaged by the MEC for Social Development – Ms Nancy Sihlwayi who out of stubbornness and recklessness, decided against both the advice and decision of all authoritative bodies to remove the pre-planned event from Alfred Nzo to Nelson Mandela Metro only to satisfy her thirst to serve the factional political attitude,” he said.
“We know as a matter of fact that no president would in any straight mind have embraced an event which was as disorganised as the one hosted on Saturday, whose principal aim was to distribute ANC factional T-shirts.”
[caption id="attachment_230731" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Attendees at the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children launch wearing 'NDZ for President' ANC t-shirts
Picture: Werner Hills[/caption]
Ngcukayitobi said those in the metro and province were “very alive to these political gimmicks and out of their violation, rejects the abuse of state resources and abuse of political office by a member of the executive”.
“The posture and high level of arrogance paraded by the MEC of Social Development cannot be tolerated anymore.”
Ngcukayitobi said the ANC in the province wanted Sihlwayi to explain:
- Why she changed moved an event, which was meant to be hosted in Alfred Nzo, to Port Elizabeth;
- Why she had not heeded the call from both the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus and the ANC study groups;
- How much was budgeted and on what for the event; and
- How much many was spent in such a failed program and how is she going to reimburse the public purse to her misjudgment.
