IPC ‘not fulfilling its mandate’.
Former North West premier and ANC MP Supra Mahumapelo has resigned from the interim provincial executive committee (IPC) after just three meetings.
The chairperson of the portfolio committee on tourism handed in his resignation to ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule on Monday, stating that he structure had abandoned its mandate of fostering unity in the province.
Among his reasons for his exit from the committee, Mahumapelo said, was the committee’s postponement of the threeday retreat, where all members were expected to own up to their wrongdoings that led to the destabilisation of the North West.
Also cited in the letter was what Mahumapelo said was the continued removal of ANC comrades from their political and government positions by the current leadership using the IPC.
Mahumapelo’s move comes months after he successfully won a court application against the ANC national executive committee’s decision to disband the provincial executive committee led by him.
He had obtained a court order at the high court in Joburg compelling the ANC to reinstate his executive committee, but it was later found that the committee’s term had lapsed, forcing the ANC to integrate the provincial task team and Mahumapelo’s executive committee to create the IPC.
According to his letter, dated September 30 and seen by Sunday World, Mahumapelo said ever since the selection and appointment of the IPC in August, they had held only three meetings, and said during these meetings it had become clearer that the committee’s approach on numerous issues was not in line with its mandate to ensure unity in the province.
The former premier said the committee was made up of 80% of members who had been at the centre of the creation of instability in the province, and argued that they have been postponing any initiative that will foster unity.
In the letter, Mahumapelo said the some of the IPC members were displaying elements of arrogance when dealing with issues, thereby creating a situation of winners and losers.
Mahumapelo also said the committee has been focusing on removing people from their political and government positions instead of identifying ANC members and structures that have tensions and frictions, and investing time in trying to bring them together.
“We are actually creating a situation of winners and losers… This is against the spirit of fostering unity,” he said in the letter.
Approached for comment, Mahumapelo sent us his resignation letter. ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said he wished not to comment on the matter because he was not privy to facts and he was yet to confirm with the SG’s office.
In the letter, Mahumapelo said he would focus on being just an ordinary member of the branch and promised to continue to engage ANC members who are serious about unity rather than pretending and misleading the NEC members.
By Aubrey Mothombeni
mothombenia@156.38.205.90
