The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is said to be considering appointing former prisoner, Russel Ngubo as a mayor of Impendle Local Municipality.
Ngubo was a deputy director of the New Prison Correctional facility when he was convicted for killing IFP induna Ernest Nzimande in 1998, a period of bloody political violence between the two parties which rocked the province in the 80s and 90s. He was sentenced to 25 years, however, was released on parole in 2017.
The tiny 10 seat-municipality outside Pietermaritzburg has been without a mayor since last month after ANC councillors assisted the opposition to remove ANC mayor, Buyisani Mlaba. In the council, the ANC has six seats while the EFF and IFP have two each, however, it was reported that five ANC councillors abstained during the motion of no confidence against Mlaba and he was eventually ousted.
After the ANC regional task team meeting with the party’s provincial leadership last week to discuss the appointment of a new mayor, rumours started circulating that Ngubo’s name was among those being discussed as potential candidate for the mayoral position.
An ANC member in Impendle, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ngubo was favoured by all party branches to become a mayor and branches are currently lobbying the ANC to respect the wishes of the members on the ground. The source said he heard that Ngubo’s name was among those submitted to the provincial structure by the regional task team for consideration.
“We do not see anyone except Ngubo to be our mayor. We also don’t see anything that can legally prevent him assuming the position since he served his time in jail,” said the source.
The Moses Mabhida regional task team convener Nathi Mdladla refused to be drawn into discussing the three names his region has proposed to the provincial leadership, saying the region submitted those names and was awaiting the province to give them the name of a successful candidate.
Reacting to the news of his possible appointment, Ngubo denied knowledge of his inclusion in the list, however, said he was ready to lead people of his home town should the ANC decide to send him. He said his ANC activism is well documented in Impendle and everyone knows that it was he and the late Thami Memela who worked hard to convince the people of Impendle to dump the IFP in favour of the ANC. Memela was sentenced to prison for 20 years for the murders of IFP members.
“People of this area were all IFP members, including my parents, so I worked hard to first convince my parents to change to the ANC. It was not easy but because of our resilience with comrade Thami Memela we succeeded as we have a municipality run by the ANC here today. So, if the ANC sends me I will accept that,” said Ngubo.
He said that there was nothing legally preventing him from standing for public office as he had completed his parole, adding he had received a presidential pardon. In terms of the Constitution and Independent Electoral Commission policies, a person who was convicted and finished his sentence must wait for five years before standing for office.
ANC provincial spokesperson Fanle Sibisi said the party is in the final stages of its internal processes to appoint the mayor of Impendle Municipality.
“In the coming days, the ANC will provide an update on the progress of these appointments,” Sibisi said.
In 2015, then then Justice and Correctional Service Minister Michael Masutha confirmed that Ngubo was part of 149 prisoners who had been recommended for presidential political pardon but that Ngubo did not qualify at that stage as he had not served his minimum detention period to qualify for consideration.
Ngubo is currently the ANC’s ward 1 branch chairperson, a position he held at the time of his conviction in 2005.
