Luthuli House has rejected the resignation of Jongizizwe Dlabathi as the ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary and MMC for finance and has directed him to go back to work.
This was confirmed by ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu almost two weeks after Dlabathi quit both positions.
“This is the truth. This forms part of rebuilding and uniting our regional leadership whose contribution continues to carry the ANC forward,” said Bhengu.
Though Bhengu did not confirm who at Luthuli House had told Dlabathi to go back to work, several sources have said it was in fact ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Mbalula is believed to have cracked the whip and told Dlabathi in no uncertain terms that he must resume his duties.
It was not clear by the time of publishing if Mbalula’s directive also covered Dlabathi’s role as the finance MMC or if it was only in relation to the ANC.
“He was forced to come back by Mbalula,” said a source close to the discussions.
When asked how this directive reached Dlabathi, the source simply said: “He called him to go back to work.”
Dlabathi’s resignation was leaked to this publication two days before it was meant to take effect in a move that sent all national, provincial and regional ANC structures into a tailspin.
At the time, Dlabathi is believed to have told those around him he was resigning from his duties both in the ANC and the municipality because the mayor and regional chair Nkosindiphile Xhakaza had been taking unilateral decisions concerning the ANC’s relationship with the EFF.
This came after several critical positions including speaker and two MMCs were docked from the EFF. The EFF was offered only two positions, down from the five they had when the coalition was formed.
There is nothing factual about his claims that there is political infighting among the office bearers. We have long maintained that we are the only region whose regional secretary is deployed to government, it is unheard of. He is supposed to be full time in the region.
— Source
The EFF rejected the offer saying it would rather be in opposition benches, a stance that had implications for the governing coalition at provincial level that could potentially collapse the Panyaza Lesufi-led government.
Dlabathi is believed to have complained that all these decisions were taken unilaterally by Xhakaza.
But this was quickly rejected by Dlabathi’s comrades in Ekurhuleni, who said he was simply throwing tantrums because he was told he could not hold the MMC position and the regional secretary position as the latter was a full-time post.
“There is nothing factual about his claims that there is political infighting among the office bearers. We have long maintained that we are the only region whose regional secretary is deployed to government, it is unheard of. He is supposed to be full time in the region,” a source told TimesLIVE at the time.
This was said to be a directive emanating from the ANC lekgotlas.
Dlabathi is believed to have already attended several meetings wearing his newly dusted-off hat as the regional secretary over the weekend.
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