Eastern Cape premier's defiance 'won't be tolerated'

Defiance by Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle and his cabinet will not be tolerated‚ the ANC and its alliance partners warned in a statement on Thursday.

This‚ as Masualle has yet to implement changes to his executive despite being instructed to do so by the provincial executive committee of the ANC.

The matter was discussed at a meeting between the ANC‚ SACP‚ Cosatu and Sanco in Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday.

In a joint statement‚ they said: “The Alliance Secretariat meeting received a report from the ANC on the implementation of the alliance resolution to reconfigure the executive council of the Eastern Cape.

“The report detailed the continued defiance by Premier Phumulo Masualle‚ to implement the changes that he was directed to make in the Provincial Executive Council despite and in spite of a clear directive to this effect.

"The Eastern Cape Provincial Government is ANC-led and the authority to oversee the functioning of ANC deployees to the provincial government resides with the ANC Provincial Executive Committee. The continued defiance of the authority of ANC PEC and the alliance by the premier and other MECs will not be tolerated‚” the statement read.

"We were also taken aback about the sentiments expressed by the premier in print media and local radio stations stating that he had no intentions of carrying out the ANC decision on the matter. This is a clear act of defiance bordering on misconduct.

"This conduct of defiance is unacceptable especially from a comrade that holds senior positions both in the ANC and the SACP‚" the alliance partners said.

"The renewal phase of our movement requires individuals to subject themselves to the authority and discipline of the organisation‚ this is even worse given that the ANC PEC had accepted the ANC NEC decision to allow the premier to finish his term in the interests of building unity and cohesion in the organisation including as well as ensuring stability in the province‚ but it looks like the premier is hell-bent on creating two centres of power in our province."

They added that immediate action had to be taken to resolve the impasse as they believed it had a negative impact on the ANC in the run up to next year’s general elections.

"We are all committed to work towards the unity of the ANC and the Alliance but that should never be understood as tolerance of negative tendencies which seek to undermine the renewed hope and enthusiasm of our people‚" they said in the statement.

Attempts to reach Masualle and his spokesman Sonwabo Mbananga have been unsuccessful.

- HeraldLIVE

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