ANC and AIC in new talks on Matatiele
Decision on incorporation also has impact on Bay
Leaders of the ANC and African Independent Congress (AIC) are expected to sit down for a fresh round of talks over Matatiele this week.
The AIC hopes the ANC will support its bid for the Eastern Cape local municipality to fall back under the KwaZulu-Natal administration.
This is an important issue for the AIC, which was established to push for Matatiele’s reincorporation.
Last month, the party veered from its pact with the ANC and sided with the DA-led coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay to help pass the 2018/19 budget.
It said it was doing so to teach the ANC a lesson as the party had failed to confirm in writing that it would support the AIC’s proposal to reincorporate Matatiele into KwaZulu-Natal.
AIC president Mandla Galo said the parties would meet this week, but that ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule had still to confirm the date.
“We were meant to meet last week Friday, but Ace requested the meeting move to this week as they had workshops last week,” he said.
Galo said he wanted the ANC to provide concrete reasons why it did not support the AIC’s proposed Bill to amend the constitution to have Matatiele reincorporated into KwaZulu-Natal.
“We want tangible reasons as to why the Bill was not tabled in parliament between April and May.
“This would be the main bone of contention as they have reneged on what they had agreed on. So, we hope they can give us a convincing reason, after which, we’ll be able to chart a way forward.”
Galo said the AIC had been irritated by the ANC in the Eastern Cape legislature which previously refused to entertain a referendum over Matatiele.ANC provincial spokesman Gift Ngqondi said consultations with the people of Matatiele were continuing and should not be disturbed.
“The consultation processes are ongoing and communities must express themselves what they want to happen and these consultations will guide the way forward,” he said.
Neither Magashule nor ANC national spokesman Pule Mabe could be reached for comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, Galo said the AIC had received a letter from the Patriotic Alliance requesting a meeting, but that his party had not yet responded because it did not know the purpose of the meeting.
PA president Gayton McKenzie said yesterday it wanted to discuss the Bay municipality and other issues, but declined to divulge details.
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