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Tshabangu attends disciplinary hearing called by Welshman Ncube
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Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu has reversed his earlier decision not to attend the disciplinary hearing called by party leader Welshman Ncube. Tshabangu had initially stated that he would not appear before the hearing, citing ongoing court cases. However, he made a U-turn on Wednesday and confirmed his participation.
Tshabangu was summoned by Ncube after he made unilateral changes to the composition of parliamentary committees led by the opposition party and demoted legislators aligned with Ncube. These actions reportedly led to tensions within the party, prompting the call for the disciplinary hearing.
In a statement to the press, Tshabangu's spokesperson, Nqobizitha Mlilo, expressed strong disapproval of the hearing, describing it as a "sham kangaroo court" orchestrated by Ncube with the support of his allies from the MDC-Green faction. Mlilo further stated that Tshabangu had not been provided with a charge sheet, was unaware of the allegations against him, and did not know who his accusers were or what evidence they held.
"Senator Tshabangu, CCC's leader of the opposition in Parliament, will today appear at a purported hearing to respond to undisclosed charges before a patently illegal setup that has all the trappings of a sham kangaroo court that is in pursuit of a highly personalised and a manifestly malicious agenda whose only purpose is clearly to destabilise the party," Mlilo said.
Tshabangu also criticized the appointment of the disciplinary committee, arguing that the individuals selected were friends of Ncube and lacked the legal authority to carry out such proceedings. He claimed that the national disciplinary committee appointed by Ncube in October 2024 had no power over him or any CCC member due to the expiration of terms for most of the party's organs.
"There is no - and there can be no - legally valid national disciplinary committee constituted in terms of the constitution of the party. This is because the terms of office of all Article 6 organs of the party, save the party parliamentary caucus and the local government caucus, expired on 27 May 2024," Mlilo said.
Tshabangu expressed concern that the internal party dispute was causing unnecessary distraction and undermining CCC's focus on its work in the national interest. He suggested that he might use his influence over the party's parliamentary and local government caucuses, which consist of his appointees, to take action against Ncube.
The outcome of the disciplinary hearing remains unknown, and tensions within the party continue to simmer as the dispute escalates.
Tshabangu was summoned by Ncube after he made unilateral changes to the composition of parliamentary committees led by the opposition party and demoted legislators aligned with Ncube. These actions reportedly led to tensions within the party, prompting the call for the disciplinary hearing.
In a statement to the press, Tshabangu's spokesperson, Nqobizitha Mlilo, expressed strong disapproval of the hearing, describing it as a "sham kangaroo court" orchestrated by Ncube with the support of his allies from the MDC-Green faction. Mlilo further stated that Tshabangu had not been provided with a charge sheet, was unaware of the allegations against him, and did not know who his accusers were or what evidence they held.
"Senator Tshabangu, CCC's leader of the opposition in Parliament, will today appear at a purported hearing to respond to undisclosed charges before a patently illegal setup that has all the trappings of a sham kangaroo court that is in pursuit of a highly personalised and a manifestly malicious agenda whose only purpose is clearly to destabilise the party," Mlilo said.
"There is no - and there can be no - legally valid national disciplinary committee constituted in terms of the constitution of the party. This is because the terms of office of all Article 6 organs of the party, save the party parliamentary caucus and the local government caucus, expired on 27 May 2024," Mlilo said.
Tshabangu expressed concern that the internal party dispute was causing unnecessary distraction and undermining CCC's focus on its work in the national interest. He suggested that he might use his influence over the party's parliamentary and local government caucuses, which consist of his appointees, to take action against Ncube.
The outcome of the disciplinary hearing remains unknown, and tensions within the party continue to simmer as the dispute escalates.
Source - newsday
