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ANC removes PE mayor to 'protect her dignity'

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Nov 21 2009 08:09

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The African National Congress has removed Nondumiso Maphazi as Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor "to protect and guard her dignity", the party said on Friday.

The ANC leadership in the Eastern Cape met Maphazi on Thursday and agreed that she should be removed as mayor with immediate effect, said ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyana.

He said the metro had many challenges politically and administratively.

"There are challenges both in the council and outside. Now here we have someone who seems not too willing to work with the ANC, the party that deployed her as mayor," said Mabuyana.

He said the situation was so bad in the metro that it had become impossible for Maphazi to address public gatherings. "She was getting exposed really badly. People on the ground would boo and howl insults at her, showing no respect for her because they felt she was not performing well."

Mabuyana said the ANC had no other problems with Maphazi, besides that the ANC had not performed well in the metro during her tenure.

"In the general elections this year we only managed about 53% in the metro, while we have always been getting about 80% of the votes.

"We need to do all we can to ensure that our organisation performs well in the coming local government elections in 2011.

That means deploying and redeploying our leaders if we have to," he said.

CONTINUES BELOW

Although he could not say what Maphazi's reaction was to her removal, Mabuyana said "shock is a natural thing with such issues".

The ANC's interventions should be interpreted as a relief for Maphazi, who would be moved to the office of the premier, he said.

It was not clear what she would do in the premier's office, but premier Noxolo Kiviet would make announcement her position soon.

Mabuyana said Maphazi had not tendered her resignation yet.

The ANC decided that regional secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers and councillor Zanoxolo Wayile would replace Maphazi as mayor as soon as she resigned officially. - Sapa

TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

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Port Elizabeth

People

Nondumiso Maphazi

Comments

I have never heard such an elborate spin in my life before! Why not admit she was useless and get rid of her, instead you set her up for bigger and better things - CEO of ESKOM; SAA; Denel or Transnet maybe!

Tom Vorster on November 21, 2009, 9:02 am

"That means deploying and redeploying our leaders if we have to" Ah yes, BUT what is to ensure that this person performs where they are redeployed? How many bites at the cherry are they going to get?

Marius de Kock on November 21, 2009, 9:16 am

This simply means she actually has no dignity... no surprise!

Andrew Mc Farlane on November 21, 2009, 10:00 am

She was fired, because she couldn't do her job. The DA would have appointed someone competent and got the job done.

JLG on November 21, 2009, 10:08 am

JLG, I agree ........ and if the DA's official, did not do his/her job, Helen will fire him/her on the spot. The only way national, provincial and local government should be run. If you can not do the job, move on !!

Andre Scheepers on November 21, 2009, 10:24 am

Have these leaders no dignity. It seems nobody in SA is willing to step down even when they are proven to be incompetent and inadequate . Thick skinned is an understatement.

PINKO PALLINO on November 21, 2009, 10:58 am

Let's hope the DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay in 2011. If the Eastern Cape main metro was properly and cleanly run, it would uplift the province as a whole. For far too long the people of the Eastern Cape have had to put up with corruption, ineptitude and pure laziness on the part of local government. Families are being torn apart as the youth head to Cape Town in search of work and a better quality of life. The failure of the Eastern Cape also has negative effects on the Western Cape as service delivery must constantly strive to meet the needs of new migrants fleeing the parlous state of affairs in their home towns. It is also driving down the cost of wages in the Western Cape, adding to the miseries of the poor - a full day's work for a labourer barely buys food for a family, let alone pay for rent or heaven forbid, savings. Anyway, holding thumbs for 2011!

Jy Wilmos on November 21, 2009, 11:01 am

Ok, so for screwing up, she gets moved to the premiers office. "To protect her dignity" - instead of naming and shaming and making an example. Poor Maphazi.

64 other municipalities are in a state like this.

People will be begging the DA to take over as how things are currently being run in South Africa.

Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 21, 2009, 11:50 am

Pathetic scum of the earth

on November 21, 2009, 12:09 pm

This woman was an absolute disaster. She was very close, if not the, worst ANC comrade for this job. Hopeless, would be a great leap forward in this womans eyes. PE has slipped into a deep dark hole. Never to be seen again. As for the DA winning there, it is almost impossible. PE has a ratio of 1:10. The 10 are completely uneducated and illiterate. Actually, it is a real achievement that this metro did not completely fall away into oblivion some years ago. Personally, I think the best place for this woman is in fact the premiers office. This way she will be with like minded people who get an office where they can do very little or no damage. Essentially, moving paper from one side of a desk to another. She still however keeps all her work benefits. In fact she might actually get a small increase due to being in the premiers office. The upside, is she will not harm herself and not be deployed to something more strategic, like water affairs etc etc.

Apocalypse Now on November 21, 2009, 12:24 pm

is it just me or is the ANC only firing incompetent FEMALES? Dnt get me wrong I thnk this sorry excuse for a public representative has got to go, but seems to me its only the female cardes that get fired for incompetence. Lord knows that the ANC is a patriarchal organisation see how her 'dignity' has to be 'protected'!

say wat on November 21, 2009, 1:04 pm

So that is how the ANC works - you do not perform, then you get redeployed to save face. What a farce. Talk about applying the logic of single digit IQ people.

Pasta Bag on November 21, 2009, 2:05 pm

Every day is April Fool's Day in South Africa these days ... Who needs Monty Python?

Ella Hume on November 22, 2009, 2:08 pm

What dignity?

Rod Baker on November 23, 2009, 6:49 am

The mayor of OR Tambo district municipality in the Eastern Cape Zoleka Capa spent R45-million of unbudgeted council funds on seven farms in a neighbouring province and then put her husband in charge of them. Another special one. You have to wonder when the ANC will call this one to book? Can you spell "nepotism"? http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article194480.ece

Marius de Kock on November 23, 2009, 12:21 pm

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