Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina. Picture: Tebogo Letsie/City Press
NEWS
While the dust is settling after Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina’s controversial tweets and threats of resignation, a different storm is brewing around the way the ANC handles members who express views that differ from those of the party.
Yet another concern for the governing party – and the Ekurhuleni region, in particular – is the subsequent allegations of this debacle, with members close to Masina now being accused of forging a press statement expressing support for him.
City Press has been reliably told that sparks flew during the urgent regional executive committee (REC) meeting called by Masina, as chairperson of the region, to discuss his support on social media for the call by EFF leader Julius Malema for citizens to collapse the “white economy”.
“Masina and those who support him expressed great anger at the manner in which the ANC was handling members who expressed differing views from those of the party. In this case, Masina’s opinion was nothing foreign: he was expressing a view that’s part of the resolution of the 54th conference. The ANC has stated that it wants to see a more inclusive economy, and that means the current one needs to be done away with,” said the source.
The reality of the situation, however, is that the argument for the nationalisation and socialisation of the commanding heights of the economy is rooted deeply in the foundational literature of the ANC and the mass democratic movement as a whole.
An REC member said: “The issue of how [Finance Minister] Tito Mboweni is treated with kid gloves when he tweets contrary views because of his proximity to the president [Cyril Ramaphosa] was also raised.”
The committee member said some in the REC meeting believed that these complaints needed to be escalated and resolved by the national executive committee, adding that the Ekurhuleni youth league, in particular, had been vocal in its disapproval of the way Luthuli House had handled this matter.
“Going forward, we’ll see a serious rebellion if the older generation of leaders continues trying to stifle calls for economic transformation, instead of engaging with them,” said the source.
In a media statement, the REC – while reprimanding Masina – urged the ANC to continue advancing radical socioeconomic transformation.
ANC Ekurhuleni regional spokesperson Sonnyboy Masingi neither confirmed nor denied that dissatisfaction had been expressed over the manner in which the ruling party was reacting to members with dissenting views, saying only that the meeting had been called to discuss Masina’s tweets and make a resolution on that matter.
“We wanted to know which [angle] he was coming from. He explained it, we listened and a lot of what he was saying made sense. Where we differed with him, we told him so,” said Masingi.
He added that Masina had since apologised for “where he was wrong” and removed the tweets that had landed him in hot water.
The Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) applauded the way the REC handled Masina’s controversial social media remarks.
“The PEC appreciates the level-headed approach the regional executive has taken to allow comrade Mzwandile to explain himself.
“The regional executive has provided guidance and leadership in this matter and the PEC appreciates the assertion of the centrality of the organisation and the importance of remaining disciplined at all times, even when discussing emotive issues,” said ANC Gauteng provincial secretary Jacob Khawe.
Ekurhuleni regional secretary Thembinkosi Nciza said it would be remiss of the ANC’s NEC to consider taking further disciplinary action against Masina, since no action seemed to have been taken against other members who had expressed views contrary to those of the party.
Marring the meeting’s resolution was a “forged statement” that was issued before the REC concluded its sitting.
The statement supported Masina, going as far as to claim that the REC had rejected the mayor’s proposed resignation.
The statement – which was falsely attributed to Masingi and Nciza – said that the Ekurhuleni executive committee had “noted with great concern the insinuation that its leadership is attempting to elevate to national discourse an argument that is deemed to be foreign to the movement.
The PEC appreciates the level-headed approach the regional executive has taken to allow comrade Mzwandile to explain himself.
Gauteng ANC
“It has been argued, by some in the public and within the organisation, that this position is an affront to the ANC position. The reality of the situation, however, is that the argument for the nationalisation and socialisation of the commanding heights of the economy is rooted deeply in the foundational literature of the ANC and the mass democratic movement as a whole.”
Masingi distanced himself and the Ekurhuleni REC from the statement, insisting that no such utterances had been made.
The committee member who spoke to City Press said allegations were now surfacing that the forged statement was issued by loyal Masina allies, and that this was tantamount to another violation of the ANC’s code of conduct.
Masina was not available for comment, while Masingi could not confirm whether another REC meeting would be called about the matter.
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