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The ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay has rejected a media report that mayor Zanoxolo Wayile had been held hostage at the regional headquarters and given an ultimatum to resign.
The Herald published a photograph of police using bolt cutters to prise open a padlock on the security gate at the door of the ruling party's regional office in Govan Mbeki Avenue on Monday.
However, ANC regional spokesperson, Zandisile Qupe, said as "the REC, we are at a complete loss as to what would have prompted anyone to call the police to "unlock" the ANC's security gate, which is almost always locked at the time of meetings for safety and security reasons."
"Calling the police together with the media in a grandstanding attempt to unethically solicit some kind of "public sympathy" has unfortunately become symptomatic of a few of our members and the regional leadership finds such vain practices completely unacceptable."
Qupe said "nevertheless, these attempts cannot and will not deter the African National Congress, its members and its leaders from the implementation of its agenda and plans, as decided upon at the 4th Regional Conference earlier this year. Nor will it detract from our pursuance of a better life for all in a South Africa that is completely non-racial and non-sexist politically, socially and economically."
