The Sunday News
ZANU-PF Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) yesterday endorsed the decision by the Provincial Executive Council (PEC) to have the party’s suspended chairperson Cde Andrew Langa expelled from the party.
The PCC also endorsed the PEC’s decision to have the suspended provincial secretary for lands and war veteran Cde Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda also expelled together with Cde Langa.
This was revealed at a PCC meeting held at the Zanu-PF provincial party headquarters in Gwanda Town.
Provincial secretary for administration Cde William Dewa told the PCC that the PEC had come up with a recommendation to have Insiza North Member of Parliament Cde Langa and Cde Phetshu expelled from the party following a petition signed by 69 members of the party in Insiza District seeking the party’s intervention to chuck out the two.
“As the PEC, we looked at the petition from Insiza, allegations levelled against the two and also the findings by the provincial committee that was recently dispatched to investigate the situation on the ground. This recommendation was also a result of the outcome of deliberations on the issue during this meeting.
“It was discovered that some of the allegations are those that led to the suspension of Cdes Langa and Phetshu but more allegations have been raised. We have realised that the situation is getting worse and therefore recommended that they should be expelled from the party,” said Cde Dewa.
He said the PEC also recommended that all those who were suspended from the party should not be allowed to mobilise people to conduct meetings.
“Insiza district was the most affected by the suspensions which were made and currently there is leadership disablement. PEC also recommended that PCC allow us to approach the commissariat to have co-options so that we continue to build and strengthen the party in Matabeleland South,” Cde Dewa said.
The PCC welcomed the recommendations by the PEC saying they were for the good of building the party as the situation in Insiza district was likely to destroy the party if steps to expel Cde Langa and Cde Phetshu were delayed.
“We are happy with the decision that you have made as the PEC because if someone is no longer good for the party, steps to build the party should be taken. We don’t want to have people fuelling confusion in our party,” said Cde Never Ncube, the Matabeleland South provincial war veterans chairperson who was also seconded by a youth league member Cde Mthandazo Sibanda.
The Zanu-PF acting provincial chairperson Cde Rabelani Choeni said the province would forward its endorsement to expel the two from the party to the Politburo for consideration.
“We agreed as the PCC to take to the Politburo the petition, findings on the ground and the decision we agreed on here that Cde Langa and Cde Phetshu be expelled from the party,” he said.
The party’s Insiza District petition signed by Zanu-PF members, youth league, war veterans, war collaborators and ex-detainees, recommended the expulsion of Cde Langa from the party and National Assembly and Cde Phetshu on allegations that they belonged to a faction that plotted to assassinate President Mugabe and was fanning factionalism.
He was also accused of spoiling the name of the party by selling land unprocedurally in Kombo, Gwamanyanga, Mpalawani and some A2 farms in Shangani.
“(Cde) Langa interfered with cell verification exercise led by Chimanimani Central Committee member Cde Joshua Sacco . . . where Langa had created parallel Zanu-PF structures together with suspended constituency manager Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda.
“Langa held a meeting with suspended Zanu-PF members at Phangani on 9 May, 2015 claiming that he is still in power,” read part of the petition.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Cde Abedinico Ncube said party members should remain united to strengthen the party.
He emphasised the need for continued spirit of oneness among party members in the province.
“Let’s not allow unnecessary things like issues to do with positions divide us. We need to keep up the spirit of oneness that exists among us because 2018 is around the corner and Zanu-PF should remain victorious. We should continue to rally behind our leader President Mugabe,” he said.
Cde Ncube warned party members to be wary of some imperialist agents seeking to destroy the party.
