ANC members in Limpopo have been warned to stop colluding with opposition leaders to discredit their own mayor, and that such behaviour would not benefit the organisation.
The mayor in question is the first citizen of Fetakgomo-Tubatse municipality, councillor Eddie Maila.
This is according to Limpopo ANC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka, who was responding to last week’s Sunday World report about an ANC faction conspiring with opposition councillors to discredit Maila.
The allegations doing the rounds are that Sekhukhune district municipality councillor Seun Mogotji accepted bribes from an ANC faction that wanted Maila toppled for economic and factional reasons.
Mogotji, representing the Bolsheviks Party SA, accused Maila of misusing public funds to buy a cushy fleet, including BMW vehicles for his official duties.
However, Fetakgomo-Tubatse municipality councillor Dumisa Madalane, who is also the secretary of the Power of African Unity party, accused Mogotji of accepting bribes to tarnish Maila’s image.
Madalane also accused the Bolsheviks councillor of undermining the council’s intelligence by questioning its decision to approve the vehicles. He said this was due to a personal vendetta against the mayor.
While Mogotji was considering legal action against Madalane, the ANC in the province said it was not aware of the anti-Maila plot. However, the party strongly warned its members against participating in such campaigns.
“The ANC Limpopo distances itself from any representatives who align themselves with opposition parties to weaken the mayor, its deployees and leaders,” said Machaka.
“In the event that there are such representatives conniving with the opposition, we call upon them to immediately desist.”
He warned such conduct would not benefit the organisation. “The ANC representatives are required not to align themselves with the opposition on matters which are not of mutual interests, and in the best interest of society,” he said.
He said ANC representatives at municipal level had forums to raise their concerns.
“They should not approach opposition parties on matters they could just have raised internally,” he said.
In dismissing Mogotji’s claims this week, Madalane alleged there was a plot by ANC members hell-bent on removing Maila. Madalane added his party had been approached by some within the ANC to sabotage the mayor. “Since they failed, they identified Mogotji, which is very shameful.”
He said the Bolsheviks were represented in the council, and their councillor was also part of the decision to purchase the mayor’s vehicle.
Machaka said Madalane’s allegations were concerning because he did not name the ANC structures that launched the alleged campaign against the mayor.
He added the ANC in Sekhukhune was united and stable, and the provincial leadership had no choice but to treat such claims as unfounded rumours, adding that Madalane must produce evidence.
“That the party is accused of bribery to tarnish the image of its deployees is misleading and far from the truth.”
“Should the evidence prove the allegations, we will not hesitate to act against such members and or leaders,” he said.
