EC Premier Oscar Mabuyane Warns That Municipalities Are Run by Gangs, Mlibo Qoboshiyane Blames Disunity

• Premier of the Eastern Cape Oscar Mabuyane said that members of the criminal underworld have infiltrated local municipalities for their own benefit
• Mabuyane is hoping to be the next Eastern Cape chairperson but his fellow candidate, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, does not think this is advisable
• Qoboshiyane believes that many of the provincial government's current issues stem from Mabuyane's leadership

EAST LONDON - Oscar Mabuyane, the Premier of the Eastern Cape, spoke at the South African Local Government Association's (Salga) conference in the province, where he warned that many municipalities are becoming infiltrated by cartels and gangs.

Mabuyane said that this is negatively affecting the results of municipal audits and needs to be tackled head-on. He encouraged local government members not to engage with people who seek to overrun and control municipalities.

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According to News24, the Premier said that the underworld forces stall important municipal projects and add to corruption at the local government level. Mabuyane referred to corruption as the "greatest crime" against South Africans.

Mabuyane blames criminals, Qoboshiyane blames Mabuyane

Mlibo Qoboshiyane, the deputy speaker for the Eastern Cape legislature, expressed his belief that Mabuyane's leadership has caused the Eastern Cape government to fail, TimesLIVE reports. The deputy speaker said that disunity had grown in the province during Mabuyane's term in office.

Mabuyane and Qoboshiyane are both competing to be elected as the provincial chairperson for the ANC at the party's internal election later this year. Babalo Madikizela, the treasurer for the province, is the third candidate vying for the position.

“We need to avoid totally accidental leadership as we saw in 2017, flying of chairs, the rupture that erupted there because of the absence of [diversity] and maturity,” said Qoboshiyane.

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South Africans react to provincial chairperson candidates

@DizzyBlond5 remarked:

"The ANC has competition now."

@Uchooser believes:

"If leadership did their job now and in the past, this would not happen."

@makhanip said:

"The simple solution to this is for residents to vote ANC out. When will our people learn that to vote for ANC is akin to voting for thieves."

@doses01 shared:

"Oscar Mabuyane is the number one corrupt gangster who infiltrated local council resources for personal benefits."

@Matlala_S believes:

"Gangsters under the umbrella of a certain political party have long infiltrated municipalities and other institutions of government."

Oscar Mabuyane plans to be Eastern Cape chair, Mlibo Qoboshiyane disagrees

In earlier news about Mabuyane and Qoboshiyane, Briefly News reported that Mlibo Qoboshiyane, the deputy speaker for the Eastern Cape legislature, does not think that Oscar Mabuyane, the Premier of the Eastern Cape, has effectively led the African National Congress (ANC) in the province.

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Qoboshiyane, therefore, believes that Mabuyane's bid to become the provincial chairperson is ill-advised. The deputy speaker is contesting the position, as is the provincial treasurer, Babalo Madikizela, who is proving to be the most formidable competitor in the race.

Mabuyane has also been criticised recently for endorsing President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term in office. This follows Mabuyane's ANC colleague, Stan Mathabatha's recent endorsement of Ramaphosa.

Source: Briefly News