MTHATHA, Eastern Cape — The highly anticipated Mthatha Ward 37 ANC candidate selection process was abruptly shut down after local residents successfully disrupted the proceedings, citing massive irregularities, the busing of non-residents, and a missing voters’ roll.
The community gathering was initially scheduled to review and choose from four proposed candidates. However, a Ward 37 community spokesperson revealed that tensions flared when locals pushed for an independent candidate, while the ruling party’s internal structures forcefully advocated for their pre-selected nominee.
According to the spokesperson, the venue was deliberately packed with outsiders to manipulate the outcome. “Buses arrived with people who do not belong to Ward 37,” the spokesperson stated, identifying that the individuals were transported from surrounding areas to artificially boost the ANC’s preferred candidate.
The electoral process itself faced immediate technical and procedural hurdles. The electoral committee reportedly arrived without the voters’ roll. After a delay, the documentation was produced, but residents rejected the lists as incomplete. Despite the community’s demands for accurate documentation, the committee allegedly attempted to push the voting process forward using the disputed records.
The situation grew more contentious with allegations involving minors and bribery. Locals claimed that school children from the Mpeko area were bused to the venue and provided with alcohol to influence the selection. Furthermore, a young woman present at the venue was accused by residents of being involved in extortion activities related to the candidate’s promotion.
The standoff was ultimately brought to an end by the intervention of traditional leaders. The community spokesperson expressed gratitude that the *iiNkosi* (traditional leaders) and other local figures arrived on the scene to halt the compromised process.
In a decisive move, residents shut the gates and doors of the venue, officially collapsing the meeting. As a result, the Mthatha Ward 37 ANC candidate selection ended without a chosen representative, leaving the community without an elected candidate to address their pressing service delivery needs.