The MK Party in Nelson Mandela Bay has accused the ANC and DA of using municipal resources to campaign for votes.
The party has also threatened to challenge the legitimacy of the city’s next administration if acting city manager Lonwabo Ngoqo remains in office.
The allegations were raised during the party’s march against crime and corruption, where regional leaders also questioned Ngoqo’s continued presence at the municipality, citing a disciplinary sanction they claim bars him from holding office.
MK Party Eastern Cape co-ordinator Xolani Mgxoteni said the alleged use of municipal councillor offices as political party operational centres had been raised at a political liaison committee (PLC) meeting, but the party felt compelled to take the matter public.
"The MK Party raised the issue of abuse of municipal resources, particularly councillor offices that are used as operational centres for political parties, particularly the ANC and the DA.
"They are using those offices to campaign. They are using those phones, they are using everything that is part of government to garner support.
"We’re saying, now that the IEC [Electoral Commission of SA] has not raised this thing publicly, we felt it is necessary for us to make it part of our march against crime and corruption," Mgxoteni said.
DA provincial chair Yusuf Cassim said: "If the MK Party has any evidence of the allegations they are making, they must report it to the municipal manager."
ANC regional spokesperson Bamanye Matiwane rejected the claims, labelling them as baseless.
"These claims are a desperate attempt by an organisation struggling to find relevance in our region.
"With only days to go before the November 4 local government elections, the MKP has chosen theatrics over substance.
"It is trading on the name and history of the ANC instead of presenting the people of Nelson Mandela Bay with a credible programme of its own.
"The ANC is clear that state resources must never be used for party-political work.
"Our councillors know the Code of Conduct for Councillors and the Electoral Code of Conduct, and they are expected to obey both.
"The ANC campaign is run from party structures and funded by the party, not from municipal offices."
Matiwane said if the MKP had any evidence to support its claims, it should submit it to the municipality, the IEC or the relevant authorities instead of making unsupported allegations in the streets.
The IEC regional manager for the metro, Fikiswa Join, confirmed the matter was discussed at a PLC meeting.
"The matter was discussed by the IEC together with the PLC and the municipal electoral officer [MEO], and it was [decided] that the MEO would send out a circular to all offices within the metro addressing the matter."
The party also renewed its attack on Ngoqo, with regional leader Mvuleni Mapu questioning the legality of his appointment as acting city manager.
Mapu said the region had previously resolved to open a criminal case at the Humewood police station against Ngoqo, alleging that a 10-year ban imposed during disciplinary proceedings had been confirmed by the Constitutional Court.
He questioned why Ngoqo remained in office while police were investigating the matter, warning that expenditure incurred under his tenure could be challenged as unlawful.
Ngoqo was fired as Plettenberg Bay-based Bitou municipal manager in 2012 after he was found guilty on four charges of misconduct when the municipality paid R23m for a piece of land valued at only R2.4m.
He was hired back in 2019 as the municipal manager, but his appointment was set aside by the Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court.
He was taken to court by Western Cape local government MEC Anton Bredell, who claimed his employment was irregular as he had been found guilty of misconduct in 2012.
“Why is Lonwabo Ngoqo here?” Mapu asked.
“The police are busy investigating.
"His presence here is unlawful, and every expenditure he’s involved in is going to be declared unlawful expenditure because he’s not supposed to be here.”
Ngoqo could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald