North West – The DA’s final attempt to retain control over the Tlokwe municipality drew a blank when its arguments over irregularities in the council were dismissed, leading to the ANC regaining control over the North West municipality in Potchefstroom.
A show of unity prevailed from the ANC benches when all its councillors, including those who have previously initiated a motion of no confidence in their own mayor, voted him back to the seat he was forced out of, three months ago.
Maphetle Maphetle was demoted to an ordinary councillor in November when 19 of the 30 ANC councillors initiated his unseating amid factionalism and infighting prior to the Mangaung conference.
They wanted to replace Maphetle with Lucky Tsagae.
The remaining ANC councillors supporting Maphetle walked out of the council chamber, leaving the ANC out-numbered by the opposition and opening the door for DA councillor, Professor Annette Combrinck, to be elected to the seat.
After Mangaung, the ANC had vowed to return the mayorship to the party, and sent President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa to Potchefstroom DA councillor Annette Combrinck was defeated by 31 to 21 votes.
The ANC announced later that its councillors who had voted Maphetle out had “apologised for their unbecoming behaviour and expressed regret for having let down the organisation”.
All 30 ANC councillors were present at Tuesday’s council meeting, where they successfully passed a motion of no confidence in the DA mayor.
Nineteen DA councillors, two Freedom Front Plus councillors and a Cope councillor voted against the motion.
The vote came after several attempts by the DA to delay the motion, saying proper procedure was not being followed and that councillors were not given any regular notice.
But on Tuesday, the speaker, Barei Mosiane-Segotso, ruled that the council could continue with the motion.
The DA on Monday approached the Pretoria High Court to halt the motion, but the application is yet to be heard.
In Tuesday’s vote, Maphetle received 31 votes against Combrinck’s 21 votes.
Overseeing the process from the gallery were ANC national executive council deployees Bathabile Dlamini, Humphrey Mmemezi, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Obed Bapela and the ANC’s chairman in the North West, Supra Mahumapelo.
The DA recently alleged that R143 million was spent irregularly under the ANC’s watch in Tlokwe, adding that a further R152m was spent without proper authorisation.
The ANC, through its acting secretary in the North West, Gordon Kegakilwe, also promised to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against Maphetle.
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The Guardian 