The Eastern Cape ANC’s provincial executive committee has dissolved the Nelson Mandela Bay regional executive committee and appointed a task team.
Outgoing regional chair Babalwa Lobishe was appointed regional task team (RTT) convener and her deputy, Siphiwo Tshaka, as co-ordinator.
The regional executive committee (REC) was elected in December 2021, with the term ending in December 2024.
The region was informed of the decision in a letter by provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi on Tuesday.
In the letter, Ngcukayitobi thanked the REC for its work.
“The ANC provincial executive committee met on Thursday to consider, among other things, regions whose term of office had lapsed.
“Accordingly, this serves to advise you that the provincial executive committee has resolved to dissolve the regional executive committee of the Nelson Mandela Bay region as its term of office has lapsed.”
Meanwhile, in his opening remarks at a provincial executive committee meeting on Thursday, ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane said they had resolved to dissolve RECs going into conferences and appoint RTTs in their place.
ANC regions due for conferences in the Eastern Cape include OR Tambo, Nelson Mandela Bay, Joe Gqabi and Alfred Nzo.
According to a PEC report, the ANC in the metro had 26 active REC members, including co-options and permanent invitees.
However, for the RTT one had to be removed to be in line with the recommendations of PEC officials for the election of 25 REC members.
Mabuyane said conferences were a normal culture of the ANC but cautioned members from allowing personal ambitions to overshadow the shared vision.
“As this PEC collective, we must win back Nelson Mandela Bay and retain Buffalo City metro, as these two metros are the economic hubs of our province.
“We must ensure our deployees in the two metros and Enoch Mgijima municipality drastically improve service delivery in those critical municipalities this year or else we might lose power in those municipalities.”
Mabuyane said the biggest concern of the ANC was the 2026 local government elections which were less than 18 months away.
“We must begin now, with vigour and determination.
“I must say comrades that the ANC must reflect honestly on the capacity and dedication of its councillors, because some of them let the movement down in serving our communities.
“Comrades, one of the greatest threats to our movement is factionalism.
“This insidious culture weakens our resolve, divides our ranks and distracts us from our core mission.
“We must uproot it with determination and replace it with a culture of meritocracy and collective responsibility.”
HeraldLIVE