Picture: Some of ANC members in Dr Ruth Mompati region
By BAKANG MOKOTO
Some of disgruntled members of the African National Congress (ANC) embarked on a peaceful march in Vryburg on Friday. The march was led by the ANC Regional Secretary of the disbanded Regional Executive Committee (REC) in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region, Gaolatlhwe Kgabo.
Kgabo said they marched because they are against the decision of the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the North West after it recalled troikas from five municipalities. He said even though they respect the authority and the hierarchy of the ANC, the decision of the IPC was malicious and factional.
“We have noted wild and far-reaching allegations that were peddled by the IPC coordinator, Hlomani Chauke as a reason for recalling our district troika. We were shocked that only Chauke and the IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong knows about the paralysis of the caucus, unbecoming conduct by the troika as well as wrongdoing by the district troika deserving punishment.
“There was never any report, allegation, or outcry by anyone in society or our communities that have lamented wrongdoing by the troika neither was there ever any paralysis or collapse of a caucus in our district municipality. We therefore assert beyond doubt that what Chauke and Morolong have been feeding our nation was a fabricated, machinated and choreographed spin devoid of truth and honesty,” he said.
Kgabo further said they have a respect for higher and senior structures of the ANC but that respect is more to the ANC constitution, its democratic principles and protocols and not respect for factional egos of individual leaders of the party who use the legitimate office to advance illegitimate endeavors. He added that the ANC is a constitutional democratic movement that is the custodian of the human rights enshrined in the national constitution of the Republic.
“There is no ANC that has ever punished anyone historically and even in recent times on the common purpose of misconduct or wrongdoing where the crime of one person becomes the crime of another by political association.
“In the culture of ANC and constitutional dispensation of our country, every person is trialed or held accountable for wrongdoing through substance and process. In the ANC, rule 25 is the route and for our common law transgression, the laws of the Republic is readily available, why does the ANC led by IPC recall and remove a person from office on the basis of allegations that were never tested by any competent tribunal, either internally within the ANC or externally by our Courts? asked Kgabo.
He said they respect the IPC as appointed by the ANC but they will not bow down and glorify its factional inclination to decision-making. Kgabo said they know as fact that it is not a coincidence that those troikas are not necessarily the worst in the province or their removal is a move to fight corruption.
“It is a common cause that all troikas removed are those whose mayors are aligned to the former PEC chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo. Their removal is intended at giving Chauke and his factional congregants’ authority and access to resources of this municipality in order to loot and fund their moribund factional program towards ANC conferences.
“We want to state in no uncertain terms that we have seen through the self-serving power smash and grab antics of the IPC. Chauke must face branches and communities of the district before gunning for the throat of a woman who occupies office at the behest of us ANC branches,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ANC Interim Provincial Working Committee had a consultative engagement on Friday after the IPC’s failed attempt to remove troikas. According to the reports, only six councillors have rendered their resignation letters thus far.
ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong told Motsweding FM’s current affairs that the IPWC would collate and put together a report on what had transpired. He said the refusal of some deployees to resign is a sign of ill-discipline.
“ANC would look at some ways on how to approach the matter. We might send them to the Provincial Integrity Commission or use a motion of no confidence to oust them. We have only received six resignation letters out of 15 councillors,” he said.
The municipalities affected are Matlosana, Maquassi Hills, Mahikeng, Ditsobotla and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality. Our source told us that the speaker and the chief whip at the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality are amongst those who tendered their resignation letters.
The Guardian 