BRA recalls member of legislature
Maunye was sacked by party leaders after a special conference on February 22. It passed a motion of no confidence in him.
MBOMBELA – A possible merger of the ANC and the Bushbuckridge Residents Association (BRA) appears to have been taken off the table since the latter suspended the man at the centre of the talks.
Mr Cleopas Maunye, the party’s secretary and its only representative in the provincial legislature, was recalled as an MPL by party leaders after a special conference on February 22. It passed a motion of no confidence in him.
“I was told that comrades felt I was being biased when it came to the ANC. I was not even invited to the conference,” he said.
BRA’s Mr Johannes Ndlovu said Maunye chose not to attend the conference. Over recent months, the premier, Mr David Mabuza, has been courting former members of the ANC and has brokered the return of some to the fold.
Talks of cooperation between the ANC and BRA started last year but were halted before the local government elections for both to campaign.
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Businessman, Mr Robert Gumede, was at the centre of the latest negotiations that started in January. Maunye said the IT billionaire was concerned about the tribal divisions in Bushbuckridge.
Mokoena later decided against reopening the negotiations. “He didn’t have a problem with reopening the table for negotiations. After a week or two he changed his mind and said he was no longer interested. I was surprised,” he said.
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“They are telling people that I want to reopen the discussions because I have been paid a lump sum and I am working with the ANC,” Maunye said.
