North West acting local government MEC Paul Sebegoe was shut out of the Ditsobotla municipal chambers by angry workers as government’s action to intervene in the Lichtenburg-based municipality backfired.

 

Sebegoe, who came to invoke Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution on the municipality to put an interim administrator at Ditsobotla local municipality, was prevented from implementing the decision of the provincial cabinet.

 

Sebegoe ended up addressing only 11 councillors including mayor Lesego Holele as the other 31 were either shut out or failed to turn up for the scheduled meeting.

 

Ditsobotla is one of three local municipalities placed under administration after the provincial executive council said they had become dysfunctional.

 

The provincial legislature’s portfolio committee expressed reservations on the interventions and queried why it had not been consulted.

 

But tension against the intervention highlighted the extent of factionalism within the ANC in the province as one group of protesters is said to be aligned to ANC provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, while the other to ousted provincial secretary, Kabelo Mataboge.

 

On Wednesday, the grounds at Ditsobotla municipal offices in Lichtenburg resembled a battlefield with police having sporadic clashes with protesting members of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and other councillors.

 

Samwu official Alfred Pele said: “We welcome any intervention but the way this one has been done is factional. Then Sebegoe came here and did not want to consult us, instead, police were unleashed on union members.

 

“We know what is at stake here, there is talk of $2bn (R17bn) sourced to revamp service delivery and the MEC and his principals want to get their hands on that money.”

 

Pele said an administrator sent to the municipality would not enter the municipal building.

 

“We will make sure everything stops here, no one will report for work because we want to bring this factional approach to its knees.

 

“They should have invoked Section 139 (1) (b) on Ngaka Modiri Molema district and even Tswaing, but they can’t because mayors there belong to their faction,” he said.

 

Cope councillor Molopi Moseki echoed Pele, saying: “What we are seeing here are factional battles and the failure by the acting MEC to adhere to procedure renders the situation worse.

 

“What could have been good intervention was lost in political battles.”

 

Mayor Holele said she welcomed the administration so that it could clear her name.

 

“I have been accused and even kicked out of office for alleged corruption, maladministration and other ills. This intervention is welcome because it puts things to rest,” she said.

 

Holele said there were sharp divisions on the move, a situation that could make it difficult for the administrator.

 

Spokesperson Dineo Lolokwane said contractual agreements with the administrator were being finalised.

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