ANC fury at DA non-virgin jibe

DA KwaZulu-Natal and eThekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango. File picture: Bongani Mbatha

DA KwaZulu-Natal and eThekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango. File picture: Bongani Mbatha

Published May 31, 2016

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Durban - Councillors only accompanied municipal officials to government-funded events “to eat food” and the city should stop funding them to accompany maidens to the Reed Dance, as they were “not virgins”.

It was also a no-brainer that the eThekwini Municipality should heed a National Treasury austerity measure memo instructing that belts be tightened.

These were the remarks that earned DA KwaZulu-Natal and eThekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango a severe rebuttal from his incensed executive committee colleagues during Monday’s meeting.

The argument erupted on Monday as exco discussed a cost-containment measures circular from Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s office.

“It talks about ensuring that we reduce travel tours for councillors. I want to recommend that we stop travelling for councillors, especially when officials are going on tours and we are told that there should be political oversight. There’s no oversight because people go there to eat food and gallivant,” he said.

A chorus of howls rang across the exco boardroom with upset councillors saying Mncwango’s views were an insult, and demanding that he “withdraw the statement”.

Mayor James Nxumalo interjected, saying: “Mncwango, you can’t say that!”

The DA leader remained resolute before launching a killer blow.

“Councillors went to the Reed Dance last year. What were they doing there? They were not participating. They are not even virgins, anyway,” he said.

“Point of order, chair! Point of order!” barked irate councillors.

“If metro cops are going to play in Cape Town or Johannesburg - those are officials - why are you sending councillors to Johannesburg? What are they doing there? We must put a stop to this,” Mncwango forged on.

A vexed deputy mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala furiously objected.

“Mncwango, wait! You are really out of order. You are not talking about the issue in front of us. You are raising issues that you have had as grievances for a long time. Here we have a policy that is telling us how we can trim the expense that we are entering into.”

Angry ANC councillor Nondumiso Cele accused Mncwango of being rude and demanded that he withdraw the statement.

He obliged, eventually.

Nxumalo said Mncwango could not “undermine” councillors.

“Councillors are more senior than officials. I understand your justification, but politicians should attend these events, even at an international level. Those meetings are empowering; they are not there to eat food’. We have food at home,” he said.

He added that the document was a “guide” that the city had to accept as it came from the national government.

The measures include the curtailment of overseas trips, the submission of strong motivation to city managers and mayors requesting permission to travel locally or abroad, arguing the necessity of the trip, as well as further restrictions on conferences, catering, entertainment and social functions.

Nomagugu Ngobese, of the Nomkhubulwane Cultural Institution, came to Mncwango’s defence about councillors accompanying maidens to the annual Reed Dance.

“Councillors are politicians, they are not virginity testers. Where are they when we do the virginity testing throughout the year? They shouldn’t impose themselves.”

Virginity testers volunteered their services.

“Councillors must not suddenly pretend they respect our culture when they have been ridiculing it all along.

“The best thing that they can do is come to the festival as spectators; they shouldn’t abuse our practice for their own selfish gain.”

Last year the city splurged R60 000 on nine councillors who accompanied maidens to the festival.

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@Sihle_MG

The Mercury

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