Durban - The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has suspended one of its members who insulted senior party leaders, including Premier Senzo Mchunu, on social networks.
ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala said the person was the first member to be suspended and would be summoned to a disciplinary hearing. More suspensions would follow.
Mphumezy Nkumbesi Sibiya of ward 74 in Lamontville identified himself as the guilty party on Facebook and
posted the letter which Zikalala had written informing him of his suspension.
“The suspension is related to your misconduct as defined in Rules 25.17.3, 25.17.4, 25.17.5 and 25.17.6. The misconduct relates in the main to several Facebook postings by yourself which were deemed to be of such a shocking and vile nature as to warrant your immediate suspension. The matter will be processed further in terms of the ANC Constitution,” read the letter.
Sibiya indicated on Facebook that he would not attend the hearing. It appeared that Sibiya belonged to a camp that wanted the former ANC treasurer in eThekwini Zandile Gumede to take over as the chairwoman of the region as opposed to eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo.
Nxumalo was elected to the position last month, but this was nullified when the party’s national executive committee ruled that three branches should not have participated because they had failed an internal audit. These branches included ward 74 in Lamontville.
The three wards were later given a chance to hold their branch meetings to allow them to qualify to participate in the rerun of the conference.
After receiving the letter, Sibiya targeted Mchunu with more insults. Other
Facebook users said suspending or possibly expelling Sibiya from the party would give him a platform to continue, knowing there would be no comeback.
The Mercury