By Celani Sikhakhane
The ANC in the Eastern Cape has threatened to force one of its councillors from the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Municipality to step aside after allegations that he is part of a group of traditional leaders who are hijacking buildings in Mthatha and extorting protection fees from businesses and communities.
Communities claim that Councillor Thembisile Gqiba of Ward 37, who is also a traditional leader for the Abathembu traditional authority, and other traditional leaders in Mthatha allegedly demand that people pay R1,500 a month to protect their homes and cars from criminals.
“We are told to pay R800 for the protection of our home. If you have a car you pay an additional fee of R700. If you don’t pay that money your house gets targeted for house robberies,” said a source who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals.
“We are tired of this situation but we don’t have a choice. These traditional leaders are powerful and untouchable since some of them hold positions of authority in government.”
A voice note circulating on WhatsApp and other platforms gives instructions that people should pay the protection fee at the Mandela Traditional Council at Matyeni village.
The affected communities in Mthatha West are Slovo, Chris Hani and Mandela, which are under the administration of the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Municipality.
Foreign national business owners have also called on the police to intervene, complaining that the high protection fees demanded from them are killing their businesses.
Gqiba was fired from his position as a traditional leader by King Sabatha Dalindyebo after the allegations emerged.
He took the matter to court in November but the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court ruled in favour of the king.
ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the party will investigate whether Gqiba is indeed implicated and if there’s evidence that linked him with extortion, they will ask him to step aside as a party member.
“The king managed to interdict them [Gqiba and others] but I still have to check the details of the case with the legal team,” said Ngcukayitobi.
“We urge communities to report them to the police.”
Zolile Williams, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the Eastern Cape, told Scrolla.Africa that the matter had not been reported to him but he would communicate with officials in the OR Tambo region ANC office to urgently deal with the matter.
Gqiba did not respond to questions sent to him via SMS and his phone rang unanswered.
Pictured above: Traditional leaders Zola Yolelo and Thembisile Gqiba who have been dismissed by Abathembu King Sabatha Dalindyebo from their position for alleged extortion.
Image source: X
