Babalwa Lobishe hits back at critics from ANC over transformer lease

Story audio is generated using AI

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe has launched a scathing attack on some ANC regional members, targeting critics and insisting she will not take special leave when the party’s upper structures remain silent on the R25m transformer leasing saga.

As some regional executive committee (REC) members have pushed for her to take special leave over the saga, Lobishe, who is also ANC regional chair, has hit back, insisting she will not yield to what she calls factional noise without an official directive from the party’s top leadership.

In a letter to ANC leaders on February 25, Lobishe expressed concern over the “gross ill-discipline” shown by some REC members in public.

“Even more concerning for me is that the absence of an official message by the ANC PEC [provincial executive committee] officials on this matter of the transformer allows us to be bullied by media on non-factual matters.”

In February, The Herald reported that Lobishe was asked to take special leave by some REC members while investigations into her role in the leasing of the transformer were ongoing.

During an RWC meeting, others said it was premature for Lobishe to take leave as there had been no outcome and she had not been charged.

In her leaked letter to Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, Lobishe said the request for special leave outlined in The Herald’s article was raised by REC members who were also councillors.

They included Sicelo Mleve, Eugene Johnson (speaker), Wandisile Jikeka (council chief whip) and Nokuthula Maswana.

Though Lobishe has no authority over the speaker or the chief whip, the dispute risks straining relations between their offices.

ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mabuyane were copied in on the letter.

“All the above-mentioned comrades are councillors who are aware of the facts about the transformer lease to Coega Steels and its benefit to the workers and our city.”

Lobishe said not a single ANC member had called her to account or sought clarity.

“Even in the meeting, he [Jikeka] was not presenting the known facts. He was merely relying on gossip.”

Lobishe accused her members of still being stuck in ANC conference contest mode.

In November, Lobishe secured a second term as regional chair, beating Jikeka.

She secured 93 votes, with Jikeka getting 75 at the regional conference.

“These comrades are deliberate in undermining an elected chair.

“They are bent on creating chaos.

“I wonder whether the ANC can afford this intended instability in the year of elections.

“For how long must I be ridiculed for saving our economy.”

Coega Steels appealed to the municipality, saying its failed transformer had brought production to a halt and was costing the company about R700,000 a day.

This directly and indirectly affected its clients, suppliers and about 300 employees, many of whom were placed on short-term rotational work as a result.

The lease deal is a R250,000 a month rental for a year.

Lobishe said at another REC meeting that Lumkile Nogoboka and Queenie Pink were disruptive.

“There is no resolution of the RWC for me to take leave.”

She said ANC members had attacked her through Siyanda Mayana.

Mayana had published posts alleging that several deposits — some amounting to hundreds of thousands of rand — had been made into Lobishe’s bank account in December.

He reported the allegations to the Humewood police station.

However, Lobishe rejected the accusations, saying she welcomed any lawful review of her accounts.

“The opposition is quiet, and ANC REC members are the ones who are plotting for my demise,” Lobishe wrote.

In October, acting city manager Lonwabo Ngoqo told the council that the decision by former acting municipal manager Ted Pillay to lease the 63MVA transformer to Coega Steels for R250,000 was unlawful and should be reviewed and overturned by a court.

By the time the matter reached the council, Pillay and Lobishe had already signed a memorandum with the company in September, and the transformer had been delivered.

The matter has since been taken to court.

GOOD councillor Lawrence Troon has opened a case at the Humewood police station, which is now under investigation by the Hawks.

Last week, the Hawks visited City Hall to obtain statements from Ngoqo and Johnson on the leasing of the transformer.

Lobishe lashed out in her letter, saying the PEC had remained silent on the matter when Pillay was brought to the city under their watch.

Pillay was seconded by co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Zolile Williams to act in the position for three months due to the continued suspension of city manager Noxolo Nqwazi.

“He [Pillay] is the one who came with the item and who signed the letter to Treasury and Coega Steels before asking me to sign a document that he and the electricity department had signed.

“PEC officials brought Ted Pillay and said he was incorruptible and that he was a seasoned administrator.

“Now, when I take advice from him for the benefit of the people, I am deemed corrupt by my own ANC comrades.

“PEC officials sent me to the integrity committee without calling Ted Pillay and me to verify the facts.

“I went even though I remain not charged by any institution of law.”

Lobishe accused former regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula of undermining her leadership by convening parallel caucuses, alleging he wanted to control the municipality by pushing to bring back Nqwazi.

“You all know, but you are doing nothing.

“It must now be my fight to protect this municipality’s stability.”

Lobishe did not respond to questions by the time of publication.

Jikeka declined to comment on the contents of the letter as he had not seen it.

However, he said he was told she had written to ANC bosses.

“It will be unfortunate if that’s what the mayor did in writing to the province and national because the mayor said the matter was sub-judice, so in a way, we’re constrained to discuss it,” he said.

Jikeka said if Lobishe continued discussing the matter, those mentioned in the letter would respond.

Nqakula said he first became aware of the letter when one of the co-authors told him about it, which he at first regarded as gossip.

“Babalwa must not attribute her lack of depth and comprehension of this municipality to me,” Nqakula said.

“Her failures are of her own making and have nothing to do with me.

“She must be bold enough as a leader to confront her problems and challenges.

“I don’t have the authority to bring Nqwazi back, but Babalwa must confront objective realities that the processes she initiated against Nqwazi have cost this city millions without any progress on the disciplinary matters.

“This city is losing grant funding to the tune of hundreds of millions because there is no city manager.

“Our communities continue to suffer.

“That can’t be the making of me.

“Those are objective realities this city has to contend with.”

Mabuyane referred questions to Ngcukayitobi and the party’s Eastern Cape spokesperson, Yanga Zicina.

Ngcukayitobi did not respond by the time of publication.

Zicina said he was unaware of the letter, adding that official correspondence to the province was handled by the provincial secretary.

“I speak to the chair. She has not raised this with us, but if she has written to the ANC, the same letter will follow the same process as all letters,” Zicina said.

“It will receive the attention of the PS, the officials, the PWC, and the PEC.

“It will be processed accordingly.”

Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.