Andile Lungisa has requested a meeting with ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi to discuss his suspension from the party.

Lungisa was handed a suspension letter on Tuesday at the Port Elizabeth airport by ANC regional task team co-ordinator Luyolo Nqakula. In the letter, Ngcukayitobi told Lungisa he had until Thursday to resign as a councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay and that he had been suspended from the party.

In response, Lungisa sent a letter to Ngcukayitobi asking that they meet, reports HeraldLIVE.

“Instead of me resorting to clashing with my leadership, I prefer if we could meet to resolve these issues about the table and in terms of the ANC’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms,” he said.

“I also cannot accept that my ANC membership has been suspended ... I am extending the proverbial olive branch.”

His suspension and recall are related to his 2018 conviction for assaulting DA councillor Rano Kayser during a heated council brawl in 2016.

Lungisa was found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after he intentionally smashed a full glass water jug over Kayser’s head.

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein is still considering Lungisa’s appeal against his effective two-year sentence for the assault. He was granted leave to appeal his sentence. His conviction stands.

In his letter, Ngcukayitobi said the provincial executive committee had made the decision to suspend and recall Lungisa after the ANC’s national executive committee met late in August.

“It was resolved that cadres of the ANC who are convicted of corruption or other serious crimes must resign from leadership positions and face disciplinary action in line with the ANC constitution.”

However, Lungisa said he was an ordinary councillor and not in a leadership position.

He said the only leadership position he held in the party was that of a branch task team member of Port Elizabeth’s ward 2.

“In this regard, kindly accept this as my official resignation from this position.”

He said his suspension had been done unfairly and for “no good reason”.

HeraldLIVE