Philippi East resident Noxolo Ndodana said ANC supporters threatened to burn her house down after she criticised the ward's ANC candidate and stated she'd rather vote DA. Photo: Nombulelo Damba/WCN
17.02.2014
A woman from Philippi says ANC members have threatened to burn her house down because she publicly stated she would rather vote for the DA than support the ANC ward candidate in the upcoming by-elections.
Philippi East’s Ward 35 is set for a by election tomorrow (February 19) following ANC councillor Thobile Gqola having been fired after being found guilty by the City of Cape Town of using his position for personal benefit by fraudulently selling RDP houses for R7 000.
Gqola’s expulsion came after the DA filed a complaint with City of Cape Town speaker Dirk Smit, which resulted in an internal investigation into Gqola’s activities.
The area is set to be hotly contested, with many residents accusing the ANC’s replacement candidate, Mzuzile Mpondwana, of having been in cahoots with Gqola.
And resident Noxolo Ndodana said when she stated she would rather vote for DA candidate Xolile Gwanxu, ANC members allegedly threatened to set her house alight.
Ndodana was of the ANC members who asked ANC Dullah Omar region leaders to investigate Mpondwana, accusing him of also being involved in the fraudulent sale of houses in the Philippi East housing project.
Ndodana said thereafter she was removed as a SANCO chairperson.
Then on Saturday Ndodana stood up in a public meeting and stated she would rather vote DA than for a corrupt ANC councillor. Shortly afterwards, she was threatened.
“I was in Thabo Mbeki informal Settlement when a group of ANC members said to me they are going to burn my house. I ignored them until I saw one of them pointing at me. I heard them telling a group of men that I’m the one who caused some of the (other ANC) members to join the DA after I refused to support Mpondwana,” said Ndodana.
Despite being threatened, Ndodana said she still refuses to support Mpondwana.
“The only fear I have is when they send a man otherwise I’m not scared of other woman,” she said.
Residents committee member Yandisa Mnqanqeni said the ANC is taking the issue too personally. He said he was there when a group of ANC members threatened to burn down Ndodana’s home, and others who have joined the DA are also being threatened.
“We all have the right to vote for the party we like. I’m also an ANC member and I understand why Ndodana is refusing to vote for Mpondwana. He’s a teacher but owns an RDP, his nephew is 21-years-old but he has a house. They sold lots of houses here and the ANC leadership is aware of that,” he said.
He said lots of emails were sent to Dulla Omar Regional Secretary JJ Tyhalisisu complaining about Mpondwana but no response was forthcoming.
But Tyhalisisu said his not aware of the threats. He said whoever had could prove Mpondwana was involved in selling houses needed to step forward.
DA PR councillor Xolile Gwanxu, said he is aware that DA members living in Philippi East’s Island informal settlement are being threatened by ANC members.
“They’re attacking our members and burn DA t-shirts but that won’t stop us,” he said. – Nombulelo Damba
This is all lies ,if there were ppl threatened her about burning her house why it is still not burnt .Noxolo nd Yandisa are lying they never told us about joining DA the only thing we know about them they are the members of Sesikhona not DA nd who cares about them for which party they are joining becoz they are the poisions .
They are lying all the emails they sent for the investigation were replied ,but theres no proof /evidence of wat they said even comrade Mpondwana doesnt have even this RDP house they talking about ,Noxolo Ndodana nd her culprits are the loosers they tried everthing but they didnt won.
She is jeoluosy of MR Mpondwana nd we also heared the rumours of that she was intersted in the postion of being the Councillor nd the story of selling houses is not the first tym we heared about it, firstly she said it was Nonyameko nd Nontozake so when nd where did Mpondwana’s name come from.
I think now she is so stressed becoz she was lying about Island resident who doesnt want mr Mpondwana ,but the residents also proved her wrong they voted for Mpondwana nd he won the byelection.