The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape has called for an urgent investigation into allegations that municipal councillors have had their salaries stopped for campaigning for the party.
According to the SACP, 14 councillors at uLundi Municipality and approximately three at Mnquma Municipality have allegedly been affected.
The party claims that ANC Regional Secretaries in Joe Gqabi and Amathole instructed municipal managers to stop the payments because the councillors had chosen to campaign for the SACP.
The SACP condemned the alleged political interference, saying municipal authority should not be used to punish individuals for their political choices.
It has called on the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to investigate and ensure that any unlawfully withheld salaries are paid.
The party also wants the municipal managers to explain their decisions and disclose whether they received instructions from political office-bearers.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
