Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial executive committee said it was still processing a list of ANC councillors who were elected through fraudulent means, which is to be submitted to the party’s national executive committee (NEC) for a decision on their future.
Head of the party’s electoral committee, former president Kgalema Motlanthe, on April 22 sent a letter to all nine provincial list committees, asking them to submit all cases to him so he could finalise the cases and refer them to the NEC for a final decision.
Motlanthe was appointed by the NEC to look at cases of councillors who allegedly were elected through manipulating party structures on November 1.
ANC branches for years have complained about gatekeeping and manipulation at branches. In 2021, the party’s Lower South Coast region said the then new registration system faced major hurdles, with branches complaining that some secretaries were trying to manipulate the system, resulting in several disqualifications.
Some branches in the region said scanners used to verify members in good standing were being placed in the hands of those who favoured the secretaries’ factions.
At a media briefing yesterday, provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said there were wards in regions, including eThekwini, where investigations into allegations that councillors had been elected through the manipulation of party structures were ongoing.
“The letter said party structures should not recall or fire these councillors until the NEC had decided on their fate and unless certain processes have been taken.
“The PEC (provincial executive committee) has taken a particular approach to ensure ANC councillors are held accountable, but we must follow a process.”
Mtolo said the report called for the party at a provincial level to investigate where there had been manipulation.
“In some cases one person was elected at a branch general meeting (BGM) but upon registration another name appears. There are some cases where there is an insufficient explanation of how the name changed and there are no documents to trace the changes from the BGM to the registration process.
“We cannot just blame the candidate. What the Motlanthe report is calling for is the documents that show the process and it may not necessarily be the councillor who was responsible for the manipulation.
“If the councillor is found to have participated, they will be held accountable.”
Motlanthe’s letter said: “The final reports by the PLCs (provincial list committees) should cover the following issues: Statistical reports on disputes and appeals processed after the local government elections using the standard template, which has been provided to all the PLCs.
“Narrative report outlining the nature of disputes processed, the challenges encountered by the PLC and recommendations on improving the work of the PLC as well as the candidate selection processes. Disputes that may trigger by-elections should be clearly specified in terms of the wards, complainants and political issues that should be considered by the electoral committee and approved by the NEC.
“A list of cases of misconduct related to the manipulation of the candidate selection process should be included in the final reports by the PLCs. Names and details of members who are alleged to have committed misconduct during the candidate selection process should be provided in these lists, and this should be accompanied by any available evidence or detailed explanation of all circumstances and facts surrounding the misconduct,” Motlanthe wrote.
He called on party structures not to recall or fire councillors until the NEC had decided on their fate.
“Kindly note that PLCs are not authorised to recall ward/PR councillors or issue instructions for by-elections as this is the responsibility of the NEC and constitutional structures of the ANC. The electoral committee will make final recommendations to the NEC based on the PLC reports so that political interventions such as conflict resolution and disciplinary processes could be invoked where relevant.
“The electoral committee shall issue final directives to the complainants, PLCs and appellants based on the NEC’s approval of our recommendations,” Motlanthe said.