Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has described the arrest of ANC Nelson Mandela Bay regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula for allegedly bribing opposition councillors as an act of desperation caused by the loss of state power.
Nqakula was arrested on Thursday for allegedly paying R300 000 to three former DA councillors – Victor Manyati, Trevor Louw and Neville Higgins – as an inducement to vote against their party during a council meeting in 2018, where a motion of no-confidence was successfully carried out against Jonathan Lawack, former council speaker of the DA-led administration, and then mayor Athol Trollip.
Mabuyane made the remarks on Sunday when addressing ANC delegates during the provincial Lekgotla. The Lekgotla, which was on its second day, was attended by some members of the national executive committee, Eastern Cape deployees in the National Assembly, various municipal troikas and provincial heads of government departments.
Mabuyane said he was saddened by the turn of events in the metro, where Nqakula, Manyati, Louw and Higgins were arrested along Nelson Mandela Bay municipal manager Noxolo Nqwazi, suspended municipal director of human settlements Mvuleni Mapu, and businessman Xolani Masela and his wife Nwabisa for a range of charges including fraud, money-laundering and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
The Hawks alleged that Nqwazi and Mapu were involved in issuing an irregular tender to the value of R24-million to a company that belongs to Masela. A total of R300 000 of that money made its way to Nqakula, who in turn paid the three former DA councillors R100 000 each.
The Hawks alleged that the R300 000 was paid to the former councillors to thank them for their participation in collapsing the DA-led coalition government. Manyati abstained during the motion of no-confidence against Lawack, which was followed by the vote of no-confidence against Trollip.
Louw and Higgins attended a council meeting which followed the events against the DA instruction to its councillors not to attend so that the gathering does not meet the quorum. All three were later expelled from the party after the incident.
Mabuyane said: “It’s unfortunate what has happened. Comrades, if you look at it, it’s part of us losing power, the desperation of losing power, particularly state power. That can make us commit things that we should have avoided.
“Those comrades have been charged, I spoke with the regional secretary, we will monitor it from there. I wish them all the best in trying to explain themselves to the magistrate or the judge.”
Nqakula has denied any wrongdoing and said he will explain himself when the matter goes on trial. He has voluntarily stepped down from party duties and activities.
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