Smangaliso poses the question of ‘honesty and integrity’ in Councillors

WARD 8 and 9 Councillors, Magda Viktor and Alta de Kock, were recently the targets of what appeared to be an attempted smear campaign on social media.

The Vryheid Herald even came under fire when a seemingly disgruntled community member, Simangaliso Zwane, unleashed a barrage of ‘questions’ on a local Facebook group, questioning the integrity of the aforementioned Councillors as well as that of the Vryheid Herald.

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“I would like to pose a question today that I wish we can tackle with an open mind and some honesty and integrity,” he wrote. “Are our wsrd 8 nd 9 cllr doing justice for the electorate in those wards. Is our municipality on the right track. Threw the rules of council and through thier constitutional mandate have our councillors set thier moral standards. Are our councillors not rrsponding more to thier bellies than to the needs of the electorate. Are our councillors not defending kleptocracy in thier ranks and reproducing mediocrity. Are our councillors holding each other accountable. Are our cllrs not protecting those who steal our monies nd resources. Have our cllr not renderec our municipality toothless because of thier bellies. Has the revolution of building caring municipalities not been abandoned. Have our cllr taken high ground and defended corruption nd the electorate that has trusted them to serve on thier behalf…” [sic]

When questioned by other members of the group, Mr Zwane went on to elaborate, “I just mentioned things in ward 8 nd 9 because it seems like all is well in those those wards when all is not well…” [sic]

In his quest for “honesty and integrity”, Mr Zwane voiced his concern and apparent distaste for the Vryheid Herald as well, publicly stating, “ive stopped writing to the vryheid herald cos they print what they want nd even write about you but dont print your response cos I believe they are captured. I think they need competition, another newspaper that will ensure they stop being biased and pull up thier socks…” [sic]

The Vryheid Herald, with these allegations in place, invited Mr Zwane to elaborate on his accusations, affording him the opportunity to have his say by meeting with us. He dropped off his response in the form of a letter which read as follows:

“Together with every voter of goodwill in Abaqulusi, we must take up the challenge of creating a better future. We must rely on our Councillors as deployees in Council and leaders of Abaqulusi, our own resources which are those of experience, community solidarity, trusted; leadership, principled action, self-reliance, commitment to success and a desire to see Abaqulusi blessed. Our shared commitment must be expressed in every effort we undertake to make things better, to secure our future and offer hope to our prosperity.”

“On the issue of allegations against any Councillor, I would like to plead with Elaine Rodway to print my status and then clarify which allegations have been made and how does the status incite conflict by asking questions of accountability. Those are not rhetorical question or allegations against anyone but questions of accountability.”

“When I stopped writing to the Vryheid Herald I was clear as a peaceful man that I shall not need it because I don’t intend stabbing or back stabbing anyone. On the 3rd of March 2017, Estella Naicker wrote an article titled “Blood shed at IFP meeting” with a picture of me and fabricated lies about me but the herald went to print without affording me an opportunity to comment. I then wrote a response to that story, but the herald after calling IFP leaders in Abaqulusi for comment didn’t print my response. Till today there are those who boast that they told the herald not to print it. Now that is being captured.”

The article Mr Zwane refers to shows a photo taken from his Facebook page, where a small plaster covers an injury to his head which he sustained in a scuffle with an IFP member, Sipho Mpanyane, in the council chambers.

According to the report, the IFP’s chief whip for the AbaQulusi constituency at the time, now Mayor, Jerry Sibiya, confirmed that the two IFP members had come to blows and had to be separated.

Smangaliso had been contacted for his comment numerous times prior to the article being published but could not be reached.

Ward 8 Councillor, Magda Viktor responded to the allegations by Mr Zwane, who ran against her in the Ward 8 election of 2016 for the IFP, with disdain, electing not to involve herself in childish activities not worth getting involved in.

“It’s not even worth the time and efffort he took to write it,” she responded. “I’m working extremely hard. I do it because I love people and I love what I do. If he were better, he would have won. To me, this accusation is like water off a duck’s back…”

Alta de Kock, Ward 9 Councillor responded to Mr Zwane’s allegations dismissively as well, stating that “empty vessels make the most noise…”

“Ek het ‘n gewete en weet dat ek elke dag uit dankbaarheid teenoor die Here my werk moet doen na die beste van my vermoë.”

“I am not involved in any corruption,” she added. “And rather trying to do more than I am required to do and to assist in making Vryheid a better place for all.”

“Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder,” concludes Cllr de Kock. “It just depends on what he wants to see. He must be careful not to bite the hand that feeds him though as he is a grown-up man who still depend on his mother’s Councillors’ income for food…”