June 1, 2006
By Ndaba Dlamini
As the man who oversees the City's 217 councillors, Bafana Sithole, the chief whip of council has his work cut out for him.
It is early Monday morning and, already, citizens and people from various City departments are sitting outside his office, patiently waiting for the man who wields the "political whip" in council to come out of a meeting. Immediately he comes out, he attends to the people.
Located directly opposite the mayor's parlour, Sithole's office is as unassuming as the man himself. There is no elaborate interior decoration and his work desk – at the far end of the room – is strewn with papers.
Sithole says he has a deep passion for the development of communities and is an active councillor for Ward 102. Born in Alexandra, the father of four is the political head of councillors. He was appointed by the majority party, the African National Congress (ANC), on the recommendation of the majority party caucus, "to assist in the smooth running and function of the council".
He is also the "centre of political engagement" within the City. In the main, his job entails dealing with political as well as administrative issues relating to councillors, regardless of their party affiliations.
"I organise the business of the council at a political level and ensure that councillors attend to their institutional responsibilities," Sithole explains. "I also assist in the allocation of councillors to various committees and study groups, approve study tours and monitor attendance at committees."
Sithole, however, also has the mammoth task of maintaining discipline among councillors for the "smooth running" of council business. In pursuit of this aim, he conducts disciplinary hearings and may recommend councillors' promotions or demotions.
Since Sithole is accountable for the behaviour of councillors, he handles any complaints tabled by citizens about councillors' conduct. "But at the same time, I am also tasked with looking after the welfare and social needs of councillors."
The chief whip has a long political history spanning more than three decades. In 1978, he was convicted and sentenced to serve ten years on Robben Island for his underground ANC activities.
After his release from prison in 1988, he joined the trade union movement as the regional Johannesburg organiser of the South African Railways and Harbours Workers' Union. He also served as the national education officer and was later elected the deputy secretary-general of the South African Railways and Harbours Workers' Union.
In the new democratic dispensation, Sithole served as the political adviser to the then chairperson of the council executive committee, Pule Buthelezi, in the Northern Metro Local Council in 1996. Later, he moved to the Metro Centre – still as the political adviser to Kenny Fihla, who had become the chairperson of the Transformation Lekgotla Committee.
After the local government elections in December 2000, Sithole was appointed the council chief whip; he was re-elected to the post following the 2006 council elections in March.
He is also an ex-officio member of the Randburg branch executive committee and the head of the ANC's Greater Johannesburg Regional Political School, where he teaches political education. At council level, he chairs the disciplinary committee and deputises in the rules committee.
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