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Nondzaba’s initial suspension over alleged oversight failures linked to corruption was viewed by some as excessive and politically motivated.
ANC flags at the Nasrec Expo Centre. Picture: Michel Bega
Luthuli House has reduced a 12-year suspension imposed by the ANC’s North West disciplinary committee on the former Bojanala Platinum district municipality mayor Matlakala Nondzaba.
Following a review of the sanction, Nondzaba has now been suspended from the party for five years. The initial sanction against her was regarded as the harshest disciplinary action.
Allegations of political scapegoating emerge
Some people believed Nondzaba’s punishment was a vindictive act and an abuse of power. They also claimed she was forced to answer for an issue that had nothing to do with her.
A forensic investigation initiated by the municipality found some municipal officials allegedly appointed five contractors irregularly, costing the municipality a lot of money.
Some of the officials were charged criminally and a municipal manager was dismissed. But Nondzaba was allegedly made a scapegoat and charged for failing to do her oversight duty to prevent corruption.
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Special leave and expanding disciplinary charges
She was suspended pending a probe into her role in the alleged illegal payments of the five contractors by the municipal manager. Nondzaba was put on special leave from 15 November to 15 December, 2023.
Other charges were later added, which included failure to comply with ANC directives, bringing the organisation into disrepute, undermining the authority of the provincial executive committee (PEC) and breaching oath of membership.
In her case, the main charge of failing to do her oversight function was seen as unfair as she was not directly involved in the appointment of the contractors.
Nondzaba last year claimed she referred her complaint about the PEC’s action against her to Luthuli House, but the party failed to attend to her grievance.
Verbal attack on Mbalula cited as aggravating factor
Later, she issued a statement in which she labelled ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula as “the most useless secretary-general that the ANC has had” in its history.
Her utterances were said to have contributed to her being given a harsh sanction. She accused Mbalula of not responding to problems faced by ANC members.
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