ANC Philippi ward councillor Mzuzile Mpondwana has withdrawn from contesting the elections after two attempts on his life.
The new ward candidate is Mboniswa Chitha.
In Gugulethu, people have been angry that Bongani Ngcombolo was named as their candidate, saying he was foisted on them. ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said complaints would be dealt with after the election.
In May last year, a group of protesting residents from the Marikana informal settlement burnt down Mpondwana’s house. He was not home at the time of the attack.
Then in April, his office was torched when four men armed with guns stormed a ward candidates’ screening committee meeting.
“These attempts on my life left me with no choice but to withdraw my nomination. My family’s welfare is affected,” Mpondwana said yesterday, adding his children were left traumatised.
He said it was not an easy decision to make as the ANC wanted him to continue.
“I cannot continue serving the organisation at the expense of my life and that of my family. Imagine if those four men had found me in the office, maybe I wouldn’t be alive today.”
The ward candidate screening committee chairperson, Vusumzi Mahobe, confirmed that Mpondwana withdrew his nomination and that Chitha was the new candidate.
Earlier this month, residents of the Barcelona informal settlement protested on the N2 and torched two Golden Arrow buses, while stoning cars to voice their dissatisfaction at Ngcombolo’s nomination.
The ward’s ANC committee member, Bulelani Ncaphayi, said: “The reality is that the residents are still not happy with Ngcombolo’s nomination. We will let him contest out of loyalty and respect for the party. What can we do? The ANC has imposed him on us.”
Gugulethu resident Bulelwa Ngcukana concurred with Ncaphayi that the community did not want Ngcombolo as their councillor.
“We have recently learnt Bongani Mbini, a candidate councillor we had nominated, had not been registered and that instead Bongani Ngcombolo’s name appeared on the candidate list.
“That is why we protested on the N2 a few weeks ago. I’m not even sure if I will vote.”
Ngcombolo said the residents don’t understand democratic processes of electing a councillor. He said their preferred candidate was not even on the list of four.
“The party selected four candidates. The other two withdrew. Then Mzwakhe Nqavashe joined DA. That automatically put me on top of the list. That is how a democratic system works.
“But some groups within the community have their preferred individuals. They must accept the outcomes,” he said.
Jacobs could not be drawn into Mpondwana’s withdrawal. On Ngcombolo, he said: “The process was done in a democratic way. All complaints will be investigated after the elections.”