The SACP in North West is at loggerheads with the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) over its decision to fire four mayors and redeploy certain members.
The party suggests the ANC failed to consult it as an alliance partner before making the decision and announcing it publicly.
The ANC has fired four mayors in just four months. The casualties are James Tsolela of the City of Matlosana Local Municipality, Tumisang Gaoraelwe of the Greater Taung Local Municipality, and most recently, Cliffton Groep of Naledi Local Municipality and Tshireletso Marabutse of Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality.
In addition, the party is still recovering from the resignation of Tshepo Khoza, former provincial legislature deputy speaker, who was forced to quit after it was discovered that he had forged his matric certificate.
SACP provincial secretary Madoda Sambatha said the alliance was dissatisfied with the PEC’s decisions.
“In the statement, the ANC officials indicated that they have done rounds in municipalities and assessments; well and good and accepted,” said Sambatha.
“But the only problem is that the deployment of the same troika persons and in the legislature is a responsibility of the extended PEC, not an exclusive right of the ANC PEC; it’s extended to include on equal rights, provincial officials of the alliance to participate.”
It was unfair of the PEC to make the decision alone, Sambatha said, because the SACP interviewed members before recommending appointments.
“It is now surprising that the same people who participated in the appointment are done without involving the alliance. We are not saying they cannot take the decision, at least [have the] courtesy to say the people we have interviewed and assessed for appointments have now to be redeployed,” Sambatha said.
PEC chairperson, Nono Maloyi, said the changes should not be interpreted as failure to appoint credible leaders.
“We don’t have a crisis; that is why even when we intervene, we are able to replace a person and get another one.”
He said the PEC had completed its assessment of all 22 municipalities in the province.
“The assessment was both administrative and at a political level, but what was key was on issues of service delivery. That exercise is now completed, and we came to the conclusion that it would be important for us to redeploy some of our comrades because we believe that their expertise can be used somewhere else,” he said.
Maloyi said the party had requested the affected mayors and other members in
leadership positions at various municipalities to resign.
“They have done so. It will be your mayors in some instances, your chief whips, so we have effected those changes, and we are happy with the people that we have now deployed.
“Service delivery will be accelerated because what is key is to accelerate service delivery,” Maloyi said.
He stated that the ANC removed the mayors and the troika to ensure stability.
“When we act, we don’t act because we do not like you; we act because we have the interest of our people at heart. Our people are suffering out there; our people need service, and that is why we said we need people who are fit for purpose in order for them to be able to do this work, which is very important.”
According to Maloyi, the PEC also intervened at the Moses Kotane Local Municipality and Kgetleng Local Municipality. “We have intervened in Moses Kotane; there is a new chief whip. In Kgetleng, the chief whip has tendered his resignation.”
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