Africa-Press – South-Africa. The election of a sitting municipal manager to a political position at the Eastern Cape provincial conference has received the backing of the ANC.
The ANC in the Eastern Cape justified the nomination and election of Zolile Williams, a long-serving municipal manager from Joe Gqabi municipality.
Williams was nominated for the position of provincial treasurer from the floor on Saturday night.
He challenged and pipped former ANC Youth League leader Andile Lungisa to the post.
But soon after his election, the ANC had to explain how a municipal manager had been nominated and successfully elected.
Section 56(a) of the Municipal Structures Act prevented public servants from standing for political positions.
“A municipal manager or manager directly accountable to a municipal manager may not hold political office in a political party, whether in a permanent, temporary or acting capacity,” the Act stated.
ANC Eastern Cape provincial treasurer Lulama Nqcukayitobi said the party saw nothing wrong with Williams’ election. He said the party needed his skills to serve in the position.
Ngcukayitobi said:
Williams said legally, he was allowed to be elected because the legislation governing municipalities, the Municipal Systems Act, was being amended by Parliament.
This was a different piece of legislation to the Municipal Structures Act.
Parliament passed the Municipal Systems Amendment Bill last week, but it must be signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Williams said he would resign from his municipal post.
“In 2020, the Constitutional Court set aside the Municipal Systems Amendment Act, which barred municipal officials from participating in political organisations. Parliament is busy with the amendment, and all parties have resolved to adopt the newly developed Municipal Systems Amendment Act. Is there a direct violation? No, because Parliament is busy with the legislation.
“I will have to prepare my handover report to the council that has appointed me and resign from the municipality I have served in for the past couple of years. The ANC also took a resolution barring official participation. Legally there are still issues,” Williams said.
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