Stutterheim - The ANC in the Eastern Cape has fired embattled Amahtlathi Municipality Mayor Pateka Qaba following protests in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape
The party has acceded to the demands of the protesting community and was in the process of dissolving the mayoral committee of the troubled municipality.
The protests began in mid-October when the angry jobless youths took to the streets, accusing Amahtlathi Local Municipality officials of jobs for sex, nepotism and selling jobs. They also claimed Mayor Qaba was not a resident of Amahtlathi and accused her employing her pals from where she comes.
Protesters torched buildings that housed Amathole and Amahtlathi Municipalities and a clinic.
Stutterheim is situated along the N6, which connects East London and Johannesburg. Protesters pelted cars driving along N6. Police say more than 30 people have since been arrested.
ANC Eastern Cape provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi on Wednesday said the party reached a decision to remove the mayor after engagements with communities.
"We have been consulting our people and after they have expressed their dissatisfaction with the mayor... we have taken a decision to reconfigure Troika. We are still consulting with regard to candidates that will take over from the outgoing executive," said Ngcukayitobi.
The ANC, however, condemned the vandalism of infrastructure which the party blamed on "criminal elements that have infiltrated the protests".
Ngcukayitobi said: "Some of the arrests have been achieved through the help of the protesters who are trying to root out criminal elements."
Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Fikile Xasa said the national treasury will conduct a forensic investigation into all the allegations made by the protesters.