Durban — The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal has challenged the ANC to go and lay charges of bribery against it or shut up.
The party was reacting to the ANC in Musa Dladla (King Cetshwayo) region accusing the IFP of offering an ANC councillor R2 million to resign so that there will be a by-election.
This follows the resignation of the ANC’s ward 5 councillor in Mthonjaneni Local Municipality in Melmoth, north of the province.
At the weekend the ANC said it suspected the councillor resigned because he was offered money, since he had confessed that the IFP had offered him money and a permanent position to betray the ANC.
“The ANC in Musa Dladla Region is baffled by the resignation of one of its councillors in Mthonjaneni Sub-Region … Though we are still in disbelief that this had occurred, we had a suspicion that it might happen … ”
The party was speaking following the councillor’s confession that the IFP had offered him money and a permanent position to be disloyal to the ANC.
The party claimed the councillor had confessed that he would go to receive the money (the sum of R2 million) along with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
However, the councillor has since tendered his notice of resignation and disappeared without a trace.
“This gives us a clear indication that he intended on selling out the organisation and receiving all that was promised,” said the ANC.
It further accused the IFP of using the same tactics in uMhlathuze Local Municipality, where its ward 12 councillor Thembelani Nsele resigned, paving the way for the by-election that the IFP won last month.
The party vowed to take harsh action against councillors who betray the organisation for money.
IFP provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said it was known that bribery was a crime, arguing that if the ANC was serious it should have gone to the police. He said the ANC always wants to blame others for its failure instead of doing introspection.
“Their councillors are resigning everywhere. As we speak another one has resigned from Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality in Ixopo, so who is bribing all the councillors?
“The ANC has problems and it must accept and deal with them without hiding behind lame excuses and unfounded allegations,” said Ntuli.
In the 25-seat council, the IFP won 12, followed by the ANC with 10, while the remainder went to the NFP, the EFF and one of the smaller parties. The local municipality falling under King Cetshwayo District Municipality was one of the hung municipalities that forced the IFP to enter into a coalition with the EFF to govern.
With the mooted coalition between the ANC and the EFF, the IFP stands to lose, but the resignation of the ANC ward councillor has provided the IFP with an opportunity to cling to power should it win the by-election. In last year’s local government elections, the ANC is said to have narrowly won the ward by only three votes.
Daily News