By Bongani Mdakane
An ANC mayor in the Free State is refusing to hand back a state-owned 4×4 vehicle and vacate a government house even though she has been fired from her position.
The mayor of Tswelopele Local Municipality, Kenalemang Phukuntsi, has flatly refused to return a white Ford Ranger she has been using while working for the municipality and has taken her fight to court.
She also refuses to vacate a house owned by the Free State Department of Public Works in Hoopstad, a small agricultural town.
The controversial former mayor, who is also a commissioner of the Presidential Climate Commission chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, was fired after the Tswelopele Council adopted a special resolution at a meeting on July 2, which passed a unanimous motion of no confidence in her.
After being sent packing, Phukuntsi left with the municipality’s vehicle and a petrol card she had allegedly been using to refuel it.
Sunday World can also reveal that ANC deputy secretary Dibolelo Mance, who is also the MEC of public works in the Free State, had ordered Phukuntsi, who is a also member of the ANC provincial executive committee, to step aside as per the party’s ethics regime.
Phukuntsi got into trouble after her former bodyguard, Henry Mathebula, opened a criminal case against her, alleging that she had insulted and assaulted him on several occasions while they were on duty.
She has now taken the municipality and her former colleagues to the Bloemfontein High Court to fight for reinstatement.
The respondents include councillors, acting municipal manager Thabiso Matyesini and MEC of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Saki Mokoena.
In the court papers, Phukuntsi argues that the election of former Tswelopele chief whip Mantsho Radienyane as mayor and that of councillor Moiketsi Mphatsoe as the new chief whip is invalid, irrational and unlawful and should be set aside.
She wants the court to declare council resolutions in the matter invalid, unlawful and
unreasonable.
Phukuntsi has asked the court to cancel the council’s decisions and resolutions, which she believes are invalid or unfair. The decisions were made by the council and 17 councillors, including Radienyane and Mphatsoe, at the request of the suspended director of corporate
services of Tswelopele and former municipal manager Sabata Rabanye.
She says the court should declare Radienyane’s and Mphatsoe’s positions invalid, arguing that the council’s decision led to unnecessary spending and her removal on July 2, which the former mayor argues contravened the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003.
When called to explain why Phukuntsi had not returned the vehicle, acting municipal manager Thabiso Matyesini said he would respond to written questions only, which this publication sent. However, he did not respond at the time of publication.
The chief whip, Mphatsoe, said he told Matyesini to get the sheriff’s office and the SAPS to retrieve the vehicle.
“I did ask Matyesini to get the vehicle back, as Phukuntsi is using it even now. We are losing a lot of money in that regard. We had to get a new vehicle for the newly appointed mayor (Radienyane) because Phukuntsi is refusing to hand over the state car she is driving.
Mphatsoe said: “I will meet the ANC regional leadership of Lejweleputswa on Sunday to discuss how to take the vehicle from Phukuntsi and get better advice on this issue.”
He said the province’s public works department should respond to how it was handling the state house dispute.
Mance did not respond to questions. Phukuntsi hung up the phone when contacted.
- Kenalemang Phukuntsi, former mayor of Tswelopele Local Municipality, refuses to return a state-owned Ford Ranger and vacate a government house after being fired.
- Phukuntsi was dismissed following a unanimous motion of no confidence passed by the Tswelopele Council on July 2.
- She has taken the municipality and former colleagues to the Bloemfontein High Court to challenge the validity of council decisions and seek reinstatement.
- Acting municipal manager Thabiso Matyesini has not responded to questions regarding the vehicle, while chief whip Moiketsi Mphatsoe has sought assistance from the sheriff’s office and SAPS to retrieve it.
- ANC deputy secretary and Free State MEC of public works Dibolelo Mance ordered Phukuntsi to step aside per the party’s ethics regime, but has not responded to questions on the state house dispute.
