In a bid to unite activists of the United Front and regroup the working class in the Eastern Cape, the party’s supporters met in KwaNobuhle on Sunday to elect an interim committee.
The struggle to have their issues heard and represented in the Nelson Mandela Bay council has been ongoing since 2016, according to Mgcini Mejane, the Eastern Cape United Front cluster co-ordinator in Uitenhage.
The decisions taken by the former United Front regional secretary, Mkhuseli Mtsila, in council which were not mandated by the party included giving the go-ahead for the budget and his new position and joining the coalition with the ANC, Mejane said.
“We are reclaiming our position and are going to affirm our place in the metro,” he said.
“We are here to elect a new interim committee to take the United Front forward.
“This is about fighting for the soul of the organisation and having a legitimate structure in place that will benefit the inequality, lack of jobs and poverty of our people. We are being neglected.”
The meeting, held at the Babs Madlakane Hall in KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage, came about as a result of a lack of communication and representation from the political leadership of the party.
“Up until today those comrades we elected are not visible and are not accountable to the structures,” Mejane said.
“They are taking decisions on their own and now people are asking questions.
“We need to have answers. “We are going to elect a new team to remove those who are there, because decisions are being made without a mandate.
“You cannot play with the emotions of the people.
“Our people on the ground work hard and are the ones who made that seat [in council] available.”
United Front KwaNobuhle co-ordinator Xolisile Peter said: “We are using the constitution to guide us on a way forward, this is the only way we can reclaim our organisation.
“It is up to us to be transparent, so we need to re-elect a new structure.”
Attempts to reach Mtsila for comment were unsuccessful.
He merely referred The Herald to the national co-ordinator Nkosinathi Jikeka, who said he would comment at a later stage.
At the conclusion of the meeting Mejane was elected as secretary, Peter the chair and Khanya Sibeku the treasurer.