Who in Nelson Mandela Bay is linked to ANC breakway?

In the early 1980s every public meeting addressed by the fledgling Conservative Party was eagerly scrutinised to see which members of the National Party had and were now planning to defect.

Political voyeurism is very much back in vogue with every meeting that is addressed by former ANC national chairman Mosiuoa Lekota being subjected to the same scrutiny to see who will attend and who might therefore be considering joining the new party.

One of those is Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Sam Kwelita who hails from the Amathole region lead by former deputy-minister of Defence Mluleki George who is part of plans to form a new party. The region is heavily pro-Thabo Mbeki and MPLs at last week’s session of the Legislature in Graaff-Reinet said the Kwelita wanted to engage on whether to remain within the ANC or not.

He has denied that he intends leaving the ANC but insiders expected him to do so.

In Nelson Mandela Bay, council speaker Charmaine Williams has also been linked with the formation of a new party and a council source said that there were moves afoot by the pro-Jacob Zuma faction in the metro to have her removed. That in turn could well be linked to another bid to oust Mayor Nondumiso Maphazi and an attack on municipal manager Graham Richards with the goal of having him suspended.

Full report on Lekota’s visit to Nelson Mandela Bay in The Herald today.