EFF fires two Ugu District councillors
Provincial spokesman Vusi Khoza said the councillors had been dismissed for several reasons, including failing to attend disciplinary hearings.
Two local EFF councillors have been fired by the party’s provincial leadership.
Sipho Shinga (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) and an Umzumbe councillor were two of 11 councillors dismissed from the uMgungundlovu, Amajuba, Umkhanyakude and Ugu District municipalities for failing to abide by the party’s rules and regulations.
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The party said it had also fired three regional secretaries.
EFF provincial spokesman Vusi Khoza said the two local councillors had been dismissed for several reasons, including failing to attend disciplinary hearings.
He also claimed that some of the fired councillors had been “greedy”.
According to Mr Khoza, the party decided not to allow ‘double dipping’ (drawing two salaries from two government jobs at the same time) while there was such a high unemployment rate.
“One of the councillors held a position as a teacher and the other worked in the Department of Health. We told them to choose one career, and decide whether to be civil servants or councillors, but they failed to do so,” he said.
Mr Khoza added that councillors in other regions were fired for failing to purchase vans for the party’s campaign for the national elections in 2019 and in order to service their constituencies effectively and also for failing to contribute the 10 percent levy of their gross monthly salary.
However some EFF members said this was a ‘purge’ to give those close to leaders more senior positions.
“They are just creating space for their friends because we were not given much of a chance to defend ourselves,” said one member.
The fired councillors have 20 days to appeal their dismissals.
“Only once that process is completed can we begin with process of re-deploying councillors,” said Mr Khoza.
When contacted for comment, councillor Shinga told the Herald that he had not received a letter of dismissal, despite confirmation from provincial leaders.
The Umzumbe councillor’s cellphone went straight to voicemail.
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