Political squabbles leave 50 Gcilima families without food

A ‘cold war’ of sorts erupted between IFP and ANC councillors in Nkonyeni Municipality’s ward nine in Gcilima near Margate last Sunday.

IFP MP Mkhulelo Hlengwa arrived in the area to distribute 50 food parcels to destitute families in order to fight hunger during the Covid-19 lockdown.

According to one of the facilitators in the community (who asked to remain anonymous) he was alerted on the morning of the handover that ANC members were at the Gcilima community hall, awaiting the arrival of the IFP.

The facilitator said that on his arrival at the hall, ANC Ward nine councillor, Sandile Nyembezi, told him ‘they don’t need the IFP in the area’.

“I drove to the hall and that is where Cllr Nyembezi said the people do not want the IFP’s food. He said I must tell IFP members not to come as they don’t need them there. I advised Mr Hlengwa and his team to wait at Southbroom and we drove with the councillors to meet them and to try to come up with a plan to distribute food to the people,” he said.

The facilitator said that after long discussions and disagreement between two parties, he ended up driving home and leaving it to the arguing parties to decide. Meanwhile, Cllr Nyembezi said it was the ANC members who should have been the ones ‘rushing to the newspaper’ after the IFP’s actions but had opted to leave the incident as ‘water under the bridge’.

“Before I reached the hall there were more than 100 ANC and community members  there waiting for the IFP’s arrival. The IFP broke lockdown rules as they gathered such a number of people,” he said.

“What they were doing was trying to campaign. Even after we met them at Southbroom, I greeted Mr Hlengwa about three times and he did not respond. He belittled me and I was so disappointed in the manner in which he handled himself,” said Cllr Nyembezi.

When contacted for comment, Mr Hlengwa, described Cllr Nyembezi as a ‘low profile politician’.

“We were there to deliver food parcels to the neglected families. They approached me through a community member whom I do not know. I responded positively. We are duty-bound to respond to people’s plight,” he said.

He insisted their visit was not a political campaign and said that even if it were,  campaigning was not a crime.

Mr Hlengwa said after being stopped from reaching their destination, they turned back, taking with them the food parcels meant for the people.

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