Celani Sikhakhane
Ntsikelelo Ndlovu is awaiting a disciplinary hearing from his party, the ANC, but in the meantime he is standing as an independent candidate – against his own party.
Ndlovu, the eMadlangeni local municipality deputy mayor in Newcastle, was suspended last year after he voted with opposition parties to oust his colleague, mayor Lindile Mhlungu. Mhlungu was accused of looting R2 million that was meant for a feasibility study to build a shopping centre in Utrecht.
His move angered the ANC KZN leadership who took the decision to suspend him for bringing the name of the ANC into disrepute.
Ndlovu told Scrolla.Africa he is still a member of the ANC and is waiting for his disciplinary hearing date to give his side of the story.
He said he doesn’t regret voting with the opposition to oust Mhlungu as he believes it was ANC policy to fight corruption.
“I was nominated by my community to stand as an independent candidate and I have accepted. That does not mean that I’m no longer an ANC member,” he said.
He said that the forensic report about the corruption around the shopping centre implicating mayor Mhlungu has never seen the light of day. He says the party doesn’t want it to be tabled in council.
Ndlovu is still an ANC ward 2 councillor.
ANC spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela told reporters last year that they suspended Ndlovu for breaching ANC policies.
ANC EMalahleni Regional secretary, Chris Mhlophe said they are aware of Ndlovu’s move but they are waiting for the IEC to gazette the candidate list and confirm that he is indeed an independent candidate.
“If he is indeed a candidate, the ANC will take a decision against him,” said Mhlophe.
