Cracks within the Defenders of the People (DOP) emerged at a Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting on Monday when councillor Sinebongo Kwatsha announced the resignation of sport, recreation, arts and culture political head Bongekile Mankahla, who still joined the meeting virtually, refusing to leave.
Kwatsha said Mankahla was no longer a member of the party after her verbal resignation earlier in the day.
The party holds two seats in the council and is part of the ANC-led coalition government.
Kwatsha said Mankahla was not attending the meeting as she had resigned from the party.
However, before Kwatsha could finish speaking, Mankahla interrupted her online, saying she was attending.
“Speaker, I am here. I am still part of the council.”
Kwatsha asked speaker Eugene Johnson to disconnect Mankahla, or else she would leave the meeting.
“No speaker, this cannot be.
“You need to disconnect her from this meeting because she does not represent DOP.
“If she continues to be part of the meeting, I will leave.”
The matter caused brief chaos, with councillors laughing at the development.
Responding to Kwatsha, Johnson said she had received no communication from the party regarding the resignation.
“I have not received any letter from the councillor or the DOP about this, so I cannot disconnect the councillor until I’m formally engaged on the matter.”
While Johnson was speaking, Kwatsha packed up her documents and left.
In a statement on Monday, DOP national spokesperson Neville Higgins said Mankahla had resigned verbally during an internal party meeting in the morning.
“We want to officially announce that one of the two PR councillors representing the DOP has verbally resigned from the party this morning.
“This came as a shock to the DOP leadership, but we need to assure the residents of the city that our unrelenting commitment to defending the vulnerable and the poor continues.
“The DOP leadership will announce in due course who the replacement will be.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Higgins said there had been a heated argument and disagreement during a meeting when Mankahla announced her resignation.
“I can’t discuss the contents of the meeting, but the discussions did not warrant a resignation.
“We were all surprised, but we accepted it, and we are waiting for her to put it in writing.”
Asked what would happen with Mankahla should she not tender a written resignation, Higgins said: “Internal disciplinary processes will be effected, and she will eventually be removed from the party.”
Higgins said another member had been removed, but these details would be communicated later.
Mankahla said party leaders had wanted to talk to her about alleged corruption and after she refused, she had been booted out.
“What I won’t do is steal,” she said.
“I won’t be forced to go to service providers who got jobs from the city and ask for money [kickbacks] just because they got a tender.
“I would rather stay home and go hungry.
“They must not lie and just resolve internal issues.
“There are lies that I take certain work and channel [it] to certain people.
“This has been proven to be a lie by a municipal official who clarified this with the leadership.
“So if they want me out of the party they must remove me, but I always remain loyal to the people of SA and do not steal.
“If they want me out, I won’t even fight it in court, but as things stand I am still a member of the DOP and a councillor.”
The Herald
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