Tensions between Andile Lungisa and his bosses are expected to escalate following a meeting on Sunday during which the decision to disband the Nelson Mandela Bay regional executive committee was upheld.
The meeting, held at Calata House in King William’s Town at 10am, among other things confirmed the disbanding of the Nelson Mandela Bay REC while also again noting that Lungisa should step down from his mayoral committee member position.
A finding from the meeting, signed by ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte, said:
● In the interest of advancing unity and cohesion in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, the decision of the provincial executive committee (PEC) to disband the REC be upheld;
● That the RTT [regional task team] include members of the ANC from the northern areas as well as a healthy mix of currently REC and members of the ANC who may have held a differing view at the conference;
● That the coalition in the metro remain protected since the ANC has 11 of the 15 mayoral seats, however, that comrade Andile Lungisa remain an ordinary councillor and not serve as a Mayco [mayoral committee] member until the [criminal court case] appeal be successful, he may then be reconsidered [to] fulfil a leading role; and
● That the PEC urgently workshop the new RTT [regional task team] on how to manage the coalition.
Lungisa, however, on Sunday said he was awaiting word from the national executive committee on an internal appeal.
“I have not been called to go there to put my issues to them.
“I am waiting to hear. Tomorrow [on Monday] I will write them a letter.
“I am still waiting for the national office to call me to listen to me.
“Even if there is a finding, I cannot entertain a finding that I have not been involved in. I will take a decision guided by the NEC when the NEC has listened to my appeal,” he said.
He said he would be guided by the NEC.
“When they have called and listened . . . based on my appeal with the NEC. I am waiting for the NEC to engage me on the matter.
“I am waiting for the appeal committee to listen to me.”
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi did not agree. When asked about an appeal by Lungisa, he said: “That’s practically impossible.”
Whether there was an appeal or not did not matter.
“The national officials said he must step aside so he must step aside.
“The national officials said if anybody has a criminal decision against him, they must step aside.
“It’s just a matter of him doing the right thing.”
Of the disbanding of the regional executive committee, Ngcukayitobi said: “What we did today was to communicate that their stay in office has come to an end.”
Ngcukayitobi said regional executive members had also been told that a regional task team that had been set up by the provincial executive committee “would be active as of today [Sunday]”.
He confirmed that a meeting would take place at the ANC’s Nelson Mandela Bay headquarters, Florence Matomela House in Port Elizabeth.
He said: “We are supposed to be having a meeting [about] the terms of reference, what the functions are that are supposed to be undertaken by the regional task team and the tasks assigned to them.”
The REC was disbanded by the PEC last month.
Shortly after that, Eastern Cape ANC head Oscar Mabuyane lashed out at party secretary-general Ace Magashule for trying to overturn its decision to disband the regional leadership. Three weeks ago, Magashule wrote to all provincial secretaries, saying PECs should desist from disbanding regional structures.
The letter states: “The dissolution of regional structures at this time detracts from the unity project that the organisation set for itself and could lead to more division.
“Provinces are directed to desist from dissolving regional structures and to reinstall those structures that have been dissolved in recent weeks.”
Earlier in November, chaotic scenes played out at Florence Matomela House, when provincial executive leaders were barred from holding a meeting to discuss the recent disbanding of the regional structure.
Ngcukayitobi was meant to announce the new regional task team, but defiant members of the ANC and small business owners stormed the building and chased everyone out, declaring the task team would not hold any meeting.
Duarte was also meant to meet with members of the disbanded regional executive committee after it appealed against the decision by the provincial executive committee.
Several attempts to get hold of Bay secretary Themba Xathula and acting regional chair Phumzile Tshuni failed.