North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has demanded that the legislature’s investigation into the Naledi Local Municipality municipal manager’s appointment be stopped from finalising its report until ANC provincial chairperson Nono Maloyi and senior government official Ben Bole are called to testify.
Mokgosi’s legal team argues that the ad hoc committee cannot make final findings while key witnesses identified during the inquiry remain unheard.
The demand was contained in a letter, dated July 8, from Mokone Attorneys to the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature.
The dispute places the investigation at the centre of a sensitive ANC leadership contest in the province, with Maloyi’s term as provincial chairperson having ended and his supporters lobbying for his re-election.
Mokgosi, the ANC’s provincial deputy chairperson, is being positioned by some party members as a possible challenger.
Bole, a provincial department head and one of Maloyi’s campaigners in the ANC leadership race, is among the witnesses Mokgosi’s lawyers say the committee should have heard before completing its work.
In the letter, Mokone Attorneys accused the committee of moving towards final findings despite unresolved questions.
“Paragraph 15.6 of our report specifically concedes that numerous questions remain unanswered,” the lawyers wrote.
“It is logically impossible for the ad hoc committee to finalise its investigations and formulate definitive findings while vital questions remain unresolved.”
The lawyers said Maloyi and Bole’s evidence was necessary to resolve outstanding issues.
They warned that proceeding without hearing them would undermine the credibility of the inquiry. “We place on record to both Parliament and the ad hoc committee that this investigation cannot reasonably or justly be finalised without hearing testimony from the aforementioned key witnesses.”
The committee was established to investigate allegations linked to the appointment process of the Naledi municipal manager. The dispute has, however, shifted from the appointment to whether the investigation properly established the facts before reaching its conclusions.
Mokgosi’s lawyers argue that the committee’s preliminary report acknowledged unanswered questions, particularly around evidence presented by provincial officials. They warned that if the report is released without the outstanding testimony, they will approach the high court.
However, Speaker Dr Desbo Mohono has declined to intervene in the committee’s work, saying his role is limited to facilitating the report’s tabling before the legislature.
In a response dated July 10, Mohono said he had received a copy of the committee’s report and was studying it. “However, my responsibility as the Speaker of the Legislature is to ensure that the report is tabled before the House plenary for consideration, and the House may adopt, amend or reject the report accordingly.”
The speaker said the committee “may only make recommendations for consideration by the House”.
Mohono said that the committee had been appointed by the legislature and therefore had to report back to the House.
“As the Speaker of the Legislature, I may not pronounce on any aspect of the report of the ad hoc committee but may only facilitate that it be tabled and considered by the House.”
- North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has requested the investigation into Naledi Local Municipality's municipal manager appointment be paused until ANC provincial chairperson Nono Maloyi and senior official Ben Bole testify.
- Mokgosi's legal team argues that finalizing the committee's report without these key witnesses compromises the inquiry's credibility and leaves important questions unanswered.
- The investigation is entangled in a sensitive ANC leadership contest, with Maloyi's term expired and Mokgosi seen as a potential challenger for the chairperson position.
- The North West Provincial Legislature Speaker, Dr. Desbo Mohono, stated his role is limited to tabling the report and will not intervene in the committee's internal process or findings.
- Mokgosi’s legal team warned of pursuing legal action in the High Court if the committee finalizes the report without including testimonies from Maloyi and Bole.
Mokgosi’s legal team argues that the ad hoc committee cannot make final findings while key witnesses identified during the inquiry remain unheard.
Mokgosi, the ANC’s provincial deputy chairperson, is being positioned by some party members as a possible challenger.
Bole, a provincial department head and one of Maloyi’s campaigners in the ANC leadership race, is among the witnesses Mokgosi’s lawyers say the committee should have heard before completing its work.
In the letter, Mokone Attorneys accused the committee of moving towards final findings despite unresolved questions.
“Paragraph 15.6 of our report specifically concedes that numerous questions remain unanswered,” the lawyers wrote.
“It is logically impossible for the ad hoc committee to finalise its investigations and formulate definitive findings while vital questions remain unresolved.”
Mokgosi’s lawyers argue that the committee’s preliminary report acknowledged unanswered questions, particularly around evidence presented by provincial officials.
However, Speaker Dr Desbo Mohono has declined to intervene in the committee’s work, saying his role is limited to facilitating the report’s tabling before the legislature.
In a response dated July 10, Mohono said he had received a copy of the committee’s report and was studying it. “However, my responsibility as the Speaker of the Legislature is to ensure that the report is tabled before the House plenary for consideration, and the House may adopt, amend or reject the report accordingly.”
Mohono said that the committee had been appointed by the legislature and therefore had to report back to the House.
“As the Speaker of the Legislature, I may not pronounce on any aspect of the report of the ad hoc committee but may only facilitate that it be tabled and considered by the House.”
