The fire department of the Sol Plaatje Municipality was recently used as a “party venue”.
This is claimed by a Cope national committee member who says the ZK Matthews branch of the ANC, under the leadership of amongst others Kagisho Sonyoni, mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, and Mangaliso Matika, regional chairperson of the ANC and deputy speaker in the Legislature, recently used the municipal fire department as a “party venue”.
In photos and a video of the event, allegedly held on 20 October, a cake donned in ANC colours can be seen on a table inside the fire station, with people listening to Matika delivering a speech.
Apparently, the event was to celebrate the life and times of Prof. ZK Matthews, a struggle hero.
In his speech Matika asks “if the ANC is still the same organisation as it was, and if Matthews would be satisfied with it. The ANC is dying because comrades are afraid to speak, and do not want to be victimised. Intolerance is rife. Factionalism is another problem.
“The ANC has become personal property to some of us, especially those who are leading the organisation. If people do not like Matika, they do not like the ANC. It is not easy to become a member of the ANC, because of the hate within the ANC. We need to confront this issue.”
Pakes Dikgetsi, Cope national committee member, says the question as to “why the ANC is losing support at such an accelerated speed?” is always asked.
“The answer is clear. The mayor and the regional council, including this fellow called Matika have no morals and fail the ANC’s renewal project.
“The Frances Baard District is experiencing the worst cancer-like instability, moral decay, and worsening service delivery. Roodepan is a classic example of an entire neighbourhood trapped in sewer spillages. It is in this ward that the voters led the ANC out of the door in a recent by-election.”
He alleges that the fire station is unkept.
“This disgusting event should not have be allowed. If it is allowed, then all registered political parties should be given the same venue to hold such celebrations which obviously will hamper service delivery by the fire department.
“At a time when the residents do not have water, officials eat cake. The cake most likely bought with proceeds of corruption.
“Some of these officials presided over the R10 million project in which a statue of Nelson Mandela was supposed to be erected in Galeshewe, but not a single brick was laid. The money is gone. It remains to be seen when law enforcement will demonstrate that no one is above the law.”
He says multiple cases of gross corruption and fraud were reported but nothing came of it.
“The involved people only made incriminating statements to the police, as is expected from delusional people.
“This is our city and not the private property of wimps. We will reclaim it,” Dikgetsi says.
Thabo Mothibi, municipal spokesperson, says there is a historical significance ascribed to the fire station.
“The zone is where the erstwhile Lyndhurst Road Public School was situated and where the iconic and revered Prof. ZK Matthews got his early education from. He was also a blood relative of Sol Plaatje. The regime of the day destroyed the Malay Camp in the early 1950s as part of its forceful removals. The Lyndhurst Road Public School was moved to the current day Barkly Road.
“When approached by the ANC’s ZK Matthews branch for a lunch-hour celebration of the birth of ZK Matthews at the very place where he got his early education from, the municipal manager (MM) deemed it appropriate in allowing for the small celebration to be held at the venue. Any political or community structure may approach the municipality for similar events, but it would be up for the discretion of the MM. The small occasion was of no hindrance to operations.”
