Sihlwayi ‘deliberately sabotaged’ PE event – ANC provincial secretary

27 November 2017 - 11:48 By Herald Reporter
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Social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi
Social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi
Image: EUGENE COETZEE

The ANC in Eastern Cape has accused social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi of deliberately sabotaging the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign at the weekend.

The event‚ held at Nelson Mandela University’s Missionvale campus on Saturday‚ was poorly attended.

President Jacob Zuma‚ who was to be the keynote speaker‚ failed to appear and was replaced – once proceedings were already underway – by minister of women Susan Shabangu.

In a statement on Monday morning‚ provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said that they were not surprised by the non-attendance of the launch by both Bay and Eastern Cape citizens.

“The event was deliberately sabotaged by the MEC for Social Development Nancy Sihlwayi‚ who out of stubbornness and recklessness‚ decided against both the advice and decision of all authoritative bodies to remove the pre-planned event from Alfred Nzo to Nelson Mandela Metro only to satisfy her thirst to serve the factional political attitude‚” he said.

“We know as a matter of fact that no president would in any straight mind have embraced an event which was as disorganised as the one hosted on Saturday‚ whose principal aim was to distribute ANC factional T-shirts.”

Ngcukayitobi said those in the metro and province were “very alive to these political gimmicks and out of their violation [sic]‚ rejects the abuse of state resources and abuse of political office by a member of the executive”.

“The posture and high level of arrogance paraded by the MEC of social development cannot be tolerated anymore.”

Ngcukayitobi said the ANC in the province wanted Sihlwayi to explain:

- Why she moved an event that was meant to be hosted in Alfred Nzo to Port Elizabeth. - Why she had not heeded the call from both the parliamentary women’s caucus and the ANC study groups. - How much was budgeted‚ and on what‚ for the event. - How much was spent in such a “failed programme”‚ and how she was going to reimburse the public purse for her “misjudgment”.

“The ANC [will] no longer support the abuse of the state resources‚ in particular in the name of the poor and vulnerable. Government should be held accountable for every cent spent‚” Ngcukayitobi said.

- HeraldLIVE

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