Johannesburg - The ANC has registered criminally accused Keke Tabane as one of its ward candidates in the City of Joburg despite Tabane facing a charge of inciting violence.
Tabane was nominated to lead Ward 127, comprising Durban Deep, Leratong, Sol Plaatje and sections of Tshepisong township in the Roodepoort district. Local leaders, who did not want to be named, confirmed on Tuesday night that Tabane’s name had been registered with the Electoral Commission (IEC).
The leaders said they were not allowed to speak to the media about Tabane, but were adamant that his name had been included among all candidates for the City of Joburg’s ANC candidate list.
Tabane was arrested and charged with incitement of violence in July following the violent unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
But ANC leaders who insisted on his nomination were adamant that he had been falsely accused, allegedly by some members of the ANC who allegedly wanted to block him from becoming a councillor.
According to insiders, the complainants linked to the ANC lodged the criminal case against Tabane hoping that the party would disqualify him from being a councillor, in accordance with the ANC’s step-aside policy instruction to all senior members and officials facing criminal charges in courts of law.
But after being alerted to the allegation, the ANC gave Tabane temporary relief to contest for the election as the party’s councillor-elect despite facing a criminal charge.
Tabane made a brief appearance in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday where his lawyer indicated his intention to make representation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to have the charge against him dropped.
In July, the NPA opted not to oppose bail after Tabane spent seven days in jail while awaiting to apply for bail.
During his appearance, the prosecution did not reveal its reasons for not opposing bail.
He was arrested on July 18 and made his first appearance on July 20. He was ordered to remain in custody for seven days before he could be allowed to apply for bail.
Under a Schedule 1 offence Tabane was supposed to address the court that it was in the interest of justice that he should be released on bail, but the State came to his rescue when it opted not to oppose his bail. He was granted bail of R5 000. Tabane was ordered not to interfere with the witnesses whose identities were not revealed. The court heard that this was for security reasons.
ANC Joburg region spokesperson Sasabona Manganye confirmed receipt of a complaint about a smear campaign against Tabane, who is due back in court on October 7.
Manganye, however, did not confirm nor deny that Tabane had been included on the list.
Political Bureau