The ANC in North West has recommended for the immediate expulsion of 10 councillors deployed to the Ditsobotla Local Municipality, accusing them of gross misconduct, violating their deployment contracts, and defying binding caucus decisions.
This follows a detailed submission made to the ANC’s Provincial Disciplinary Committee (PDC), dated June 10, which argues that the conduct of the councillors undermines the authority of the party. It deepens divisions within the Ditsobotla caucus, and brings the ANC into disrepute.
The 10 councillors facing sanctions are Mazwi Moruri, Jarious Modisakeng, Aaron Motloung, Manti Motsepo, Bafana Nkutha, Koos Rabeng, Titus Maxongo, Dolph Ngake, Tshepiso Mere, and Sbusiso Thamaga.
Refused to comply with directive
According to a leaked submission that Sunday World has seen, the councillors refused to comply with a directive from the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) to elect Molefe Morutshe as mayor of Ditsobotla.
The deployment, communicated to the caucus in February 2025, was part of an intervention to address ongoing administrative and political instability within the municipality.
Despite repeated instructions, the councillors allegedly absented themselves from crucial caucus meetings. They later absented themselves from the council meeting scheduled to formalise Morutshe’s election. Their conduct was interpreted as a direct act of defiance of party authority.
“The party caucus did not implement the mandate as expected by the organisation. The conduct of the charged members demonstrates that they are not members of the African National Congress and have breached their membership oath,” the submissions read.
Five charges of misconduct were levelled against the councillors, including contravening the membership oath, bringing the ANC into disrepute, promoting division within caucus structures, violating their deployment contracts, and refusing to carry out ANC caucus instructions.
Made an about-turn on matter
The councillors initially pleaded not guilty when disciplinary hearings commenced on May 19. However, on May 27, they reversed their plea, admitting guilt on all charges and signing a settlement agreement that committed them to respecting the caucus process, supporting the deployment of Morutshe, and attending all council and caucus meetings moving forward.
Within days, however, the agreement was violated. None of the charged members attended a scheduled council meeting on May 30, where the municipal budget was due for adoption.
Their absence risked financial paralysis for the municipality. This given that budgets must be approved by May 31 in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Further compounding the situation, two of the councillors, Moruri and Modisakeng, filed a contempt of court application at the North West High Court against the ANC’s decision to install Morutshe and a coalition partner as mayor and speaker, respectively. This was despite both councillors having earlier resigned from their contested positions and pleaded guilty to misconduct.
Modisakeng is also accused of presiding over the swearing in of a new councillor on June 3. He did this while continuing to refer to himself as the legitimate speaker of the municipality. An act the party describes as “defiance management” aimed at sowing confusion and deepening divisions.
Maximum sanction
The ANC provincial working committee (PWC) leading the case argued that such conduct necessitates the maximum sanction.
“The conduct of Comrade Mazwi Moruri and Comrade Jaros Modisakeng and all other charged members cannot be tolerated by the ANC,” the document reads.
“Expulsion from the African National Congress is the only solution.”
The submission also invokes the legal precedent set in the 2014 Mogalakwena Local Municipality case. This is where 22 ANC councillors were expelled for similarly defying caucus instructions. That ruling, handed down by the party’s National Disciplinary Committee, is binding on all provincial disciplinary proceedings. This is in terms of Rule 25.82 of the ANC constitution.
The PWC asked the PDC to cancel the councillors’ deployment contracts. It was also asked to and remove their names from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) lists. This will effectively strip them of their positions as public representatives.
“They are free agents taking mandates elsewhere, not within the party caucus or structures of the ANC,” the submission states.
The disciplinary proceedings and the eventual recommendation highlight the ANC’s internal struggles. The party has struggled to enforce discipline among its elected representatives, particularly in municipalities grappling with political instability.
Infighting, governance failures
Ditsobotla has been under scrutiny since its council was dissolved in 2022 and fresh elections held. This was after persistent infighting and governance failures.
The final decision now rests with the Provincial Disciplinary Committee. It must weigh the guilty pleas, the breach of settlement terms, and the broader impact of the councillors’ actions on party unity and governance.
If endorsed, the expulsions could trigger another round of by-elections in the already unstable Ditsobotla municipality. It could also set a stern precedent for internal dissent within ANC structures ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The party is expected to announce the names officially on Friday.
