A VOTE of no confidence has been brought against Harry Gwala Regional ANC chairperson Zamo Nxumalo.
The motion was tabled by ANC regional executive committee members in a tense meeting at their regional offices in Ixopo on Monday.
This after divisions appeared among ANC regional executive committee members, and which has reached boiling point.
The tension was so bad it led to certain members hiring private security companies to protect them day and night because they received phone and SMS death threats.
Reliable sources said crisis started when members fought over the meeting agenda.
The group, led by Nxumalo, said the regional election team must only table their report and not turn the meeting into a regional executive committee meeting, but the group that opposed Nxumalo demanded that the meeting must also discuss REC matters.
The regional election team was supposed to table an analysis of the election performance of ANC in Harry Gwala after the elections, but Nxumalo demanded that the meeting must be closed accusing some members failing to listen.
At this stage some REC members, Nxumalo and former Greater Kokstad Municipality Mayor Nosisa Jojozi left the meeting.
“The meeting was meant for the regional election team, not REC, and we supposed to discuss election results in our region,” said Nxumalo.
After they left, however, deputy chairperson Zolani Mhlongo, continued and chaired the meeting.
"When Mhlongo started to chair the meeting and after the remaining members signed a second register, the regional secretary Sindi Msomi also walked out demanding that the meeting be stopped.
“The meeting continued and we passed a vote of no confidence in Nxumalo as regional chairperson," said a reliable source.
Nxumalo has been accused by certain regional executive members of manipulating the ANC list ward candidates before the 3 August election, failing to consult and running the ANC like his spaza shop.
“We promised our provincial ANC before the local government elections that we will come up with 90% result, but we failed because of Nxumalo,” said the source.
Nxumalo has denied the allegations saying he is still the regional ANC chairperson.
“According to the constitution of the ANC, only branches have the right to table a motion of no confidence against me, not REC members,” said Nxumalo.
ANCYL secretary in the Harry Gwala region, Thembeka Madangala said they support the move against Nxumalo to give him some space.
“We are waiting for the province to come back to us with recommendations regarding Nxumalo,” said Madangala.
She said they were very unhappy with the poor election results, which they said, was caused by some REC members, including Nxumalo, who is personalising decisions made in the organisation.
Provincial ANC secretary Super Zuma confirmed the report and he said he received a call from the deputy regional secretary, Khaya Thobela, informing them about their decision to axe Nxumalo.
Zuma said he is waiting for a formal report from the region.
“We got different reports when they selected mayors for the municipality, which shows there are a lot of problems in Harry Gwala,” said Zuma.
Zuma said as far as he knows Nxumalo is still the regional ANC chairperson.
Mhlongo could not reached for comment at the time of going to press.
