Bonginkosi Madikizela

Bonginkosi Madikizela is South African politician. He is a former member of the African National Congress and later the United Democratic Movement and current MEC for Human Settlements in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament.^{[1] [2]}

Political Background

Madikizela, originally from the Eastern Cape had been a member of the ANC, and became prominent in 2005 when he led a group of disaffected ANC members in Makhaza, Khayelitsha who had been supportive of former Western Cape Premier, and ANC provincial chairman Ebrahim Rasool in his leadership battle with Mcebisi Skwatsha. After Skwatsha won the battle, Madikizela and some of Rasool's supporters in Khayelitsha claimed that they were marginalised, and later excluded as possible ANC candidates for the local government elections in 2006. In early 2006 Madikizela along with several other ANC members, including councillors, were expelled from the party after it became clear that they would contest local government elections as independent candidates.^[3][4] Although he was not elected as a councillor, Madikizela remained politically active, joining the UDM in 2007, and elected as Cape Town Metro regional secretary until a party investigation found that he had secretly recruited party members to join the DA.^[5] He was subsequently hired as a communication officer at the City of Cape Town, and later a spokesman in the office of then Cape Town mayor Helen Zille. In October 2008 he joined the DA and was subsequently appointed as Housing MEC by Helen Zille.

Controversy

In September 2010 the ANC called for his resignation after his answer to a parliamentary question from the ANC's Pierre Uys over the provision of housing in the Western Cape. Madikizela had said "unfortunately" there was no influx control to regulate the movement of people into the Western Cape. The ANC called for Helen Zille to fire him, angered that he had linked the provision of services to the apartheid policy of influx control.^[6]

Mandela Park

Mr Madikizela has been embroiled in a number of controversies surrounding housing developments in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha. He has been accused by the Mandela Park Backyarders as well as journalists of breaking a promise of giving residents of the community houses in new Mandela Park developments.^[7] The controversy has resulted in large demonstrations and blockades against construction in the community.^[8][9] The community of Mandela Park has also accused the MEC of refusing to meet with them.^[10]

References