He said Ntshalintshali managed to stand firm despite all challenges.
Gert Sibande ANC leader Muzi Chirwa has used a stage provided for their campaign in eMalahleni’s Ackerville stadium the past weekend to thank acting provincial secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali for the role she plays as secretary in the province, leading the party towards renewed hope.
Chirwa was giving a message of support at the event on Saturday midday and said as Gert Sibande ANC they thank Ntshalintshali as well as Speedy Mashilo’s Nkangala region for giving birth to the “current direction” that the #Focus campaign of acting chairman Mandla Ndlovu is taking…
He said Ntshalintshali is someone with a “fighting spirit” – and as Gert Sibande ANC they thank her for that, including the work she did with branches – despite hostilities in some cases “but she managed to stand firm”.
Chirwa said in his own region of Gert Sibande they had to deal with a few “minor challenges” but with the help of Ndlovu and Ntshalintshali at the helm of the province they were able to “free” themselves from the politics of “intimidation and dictatorship”.
He revealed there had been efforts to divide the REC in his region but they have continued to soldier on.
Chirwa is the political opponent of Ermelo based ANC leader and PEC member Sibusiso ‘The Great’ Sgudla, who is deputy president DD Mabuza’s most important ally in Gert.
Chirwa said the reason for dividing the REC was because of the vacant post of regional secretary that then secretary Audrey Maleka left when she got elected to Parliament’s council of provinces after the May 2019 general elections.
Chirwa is also opposed to Mabuza’s imposing of Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane to come lead the Mpumalanga ANC as chairperson – instead he supports the slate that has Ndlovu as chair and himself as secretary, Mashilo as deputy chair, Ntshalintshali as deputy secretary and co-operative governance MEC Mandla Msibi as treasurer.
“We refused to be given a name as Gert Sibande,” Chirwa said in a veiled reference to contester Khulani Nhlabathi who is supported by Sgudla for the vacant post of Maleka.
“We took a stand as Gert and we said we will stand firm for what we believe is right and therefore we can free ourselves from intimidation and dictatorship,” said Chirwa.
He said as Gert Sibande they took a decision that they will support acting regional secretary Lindi Masina to fill the vacant post of secretary.
“It was not easy but we took a stand as a region and we believe this will free us from issues of intimidation and individuals dictating for us who must lead and how the structure of our organisation should look like”.
(edited by MLM)
Send tip-offs to editor@013.co.za
