Johannesburg – Former North West premier and ANC provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo has been charged by the province’s interim provincial executive committee (IPC) for provoking “disunity and divisions” within the party.
The former ANC provincial chairperson, who is also a prominent figure of the party’s faction calling itself the Radical Economic Transformation, has been charged alongside another provincial leader Bitsa Lekonpane.
The two will appear before the provincial disciplinary committee on April 15 after the hearing was first postponed on February 20 due to their failure to show up for a virtual hearing.
According to the charge sheet, Mahumapelo – who is also parliament’s portfolio committee chairperson on tourism – is facing five charges which emanate from a rally which took place in Mareetsane, a village in North West.
The interim provincial leaders accuse Mahumapelo and Lenkopane of organising and addressing a parallel rally, which took place only a few metres away from the official Siyanqoba rally organised by the IPC in the same area of Mareetsane on December 6 .
“You took part in and or addressed a parallel Siyanqoba rally arranged by yourselves and/or with the ANC Women’s league while knowing that the ANC IPC has arranged an official ANC Siyanqoba rally hosted at Mareetsane sports ground Ward 10.
“You thus disavowed and breached your oath to the ANC by not abiding to decisions, instructions of the ANC IPC and did not behave as a loyal member of the ANC,” reads charges.
The IPC said Mahumapelo and Lenkopane’s conduct has the potential to provoke disunity and divisions, which have a negative impact on the unity of the ANC in North West.
The interim provincial leaders said that Mahumapelo’s behaviour also prejudiced the integrity and reputation of the governing party in that it promoted divisions and disunity within the ANC ranks and membership.
The IPC argued that Mahumapelo and Lenkopane’s behaviour impeded the activities of the ANC and also undermined its effectiveness.
In his response to the charges, Mahumapelo said he was not ready to subject himself to the provincial disciplinary committee , arguing that he did not believe that he would be given a fair and obejctive hearing as the IPC has demonstrated political bias against him.
In one of the letters, Mahumapelo explained his absence from the virtual hearing, saying that, at the time, he had not received the charges from the evidence presenter or the IPC.
Mahumapelo said he has written to the chairperson of the ANC’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) Mildred Oliphant, asking her to intervene in the matter by ensuring that his hearing is handled by the NDC because he believed he would not enjoy a fair hearing from the provincial disciplinary members.
He said he was not comfortable appearing before a committee chaired by Wendy Matsemela, whom he claims was bitter because he had redeployed her during his tenure as premier.
He went further to say Matsemela was part of the #SupraMustFall campaign and had pronounced that he was corrupt and deserved to be removed from government.
Mahumapelo also raised concerns about other members of provincial disciplinary committee; Hofman Galeng, R Matlala, M Rosho and B Maake.
In his letter to Oliphant, he said Galeng had called him the sole biggest problem facing the ANC and North West government who must be removed from his position as premier.
ANC IPC Coordinator Hlomani Chauke confirmed that Mahumapelo and Lenkopane have been charged.
He said they are scheduled to appear before the provincial disciplinary committee. Mahumapelo had not responded to questions at the time of going to print.
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