In reference to the previous edition of the Estcourt and Midlands News dated the November 17, a letter headed ‘The former mayor responds to the misleading information.’

READ THE LETTER HERE: Former Mayor responds to ‘misleading information’

This is a very serious matter to be exposed in the public arena for everyone to see, yet one should exercise his freedom of speech and concerns, especially when someone feels that he has been wrongfully implicated in wrongdoings by someone to cover up his/her failures in executing his/her duties as it is expected of him/her.

Since 1994, we have defined the character of the African National Congress (ANC) as a liberation movement, that also contests elections as a registered political party. We must however, interrogate that we not become simply another political party.
In the letter I referred to, the writer’s only concern is about one particular individual, whereas there are more than 20 deployed ANC councilors in the so-called Inkosi Langalibalele local council.

My point is, all these new councillors were very vocal prior to the 2016 Local Government Elections, especially about how the previous council was run, breaking all the protocols and norms of the organisation. That interference created severe distraction, confusion and division among the members of the organisation. We have seen the ANC election policies being violated in broad daylight.

We have witnessed the branches of the ANC being stolen, the institution was set up to be as a ‘tender-preneur’ for individuals who are close to the leadership. Delegates were nominated by the region, candidates nominated by the region, those nominated by the branches and the voters were changed and ousted. Branches that appeared to not be going along with the region were disbanded and BEC’s dissolved. There was a necessity for the PEC to intervene. To our surprise, our efforts became futile.

There was no one to oversee the interests of the organisation and its well-being. They are all focused on wining all municipalities at all costs and the winner takes all. By that time, it was foreseeable that the reigns of power and the decision makers would be outside the area of operation.

I should think, the political objective of the local government is not clearly articulated and understood, as a result, a perception in some areas is that, they must be self-centered, greedy and have a lack of public interest at heart. There is no centre for communication for a common goal, everyone does what she/he feels is right for him/her.

I don’t want to talk about the results of that Local Government Elections 2016, ‘All Jahaary leyo eyalamula.’

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Now, when you look at the structure of all these people, who fought tooth and nail to remove certain individuals in the previous council, they are all there. How do they become part of the collapsing institution for the first time since the ANC took reigns in the administration of this local municipality?

I am personally very disappointed, and I am bleeding inside my heart, for those comrades who fought and fell along the long indescribable road home, and rendered their supreme sacrifice, thinking that it is for a good cause. I wish that, they could spare me time to say: “I am so sorry”.

Tim Mthombeni

The writer is expressing his own personal views, in his own personal capacity. The views displayed in this article do not represent any institution or person(s) thereof.

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