By OBAKENG MAJE
The EFF in the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) said it will table a motion of no confidence against the disgraced municipal speaker, Grace Moipolai. The EFF regional chairperson in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region, Tebogo Babuile alleged that Moipolai continues to flout the standing rules and orders of the council and that makes her ‘unfit’ for the position.
This comes after the municipal council meeting that took place at Pudimoe Community Hall, near Taung was turned into a circus. Babuile further said a few items like danger allowance, the motion of no confidence against the beleaguered municipal mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe, and the suspension of the Director of Corporate Services, Dikagiso Mokoma were supposed to be discussed amongst others.
Babuile said, however, nothing of those items were discussed.
“Clearly, the municipal council is run by gangsters, who can threaten councillors. They dictate which matters should be raised and debated. There was also a high number of security guards from Diphetogo Security company in the council meeting.
“So, we are off the view that, they were actually brought here for opposition parties. The EFF councillors requested Moipolai to remove them from the chamber, but she blatantly refused,” he said.
Babuile added that the issues that were supposed to be discussed are confidential and no members of the public including municipal officials were supposed to form part of the meeting.
“The meeting was adjourned at 2pm and reconvened at 5pm. However, some unidentified individuals wearing blankets entered the chamber and poured pepper spray into the chamber.
“There was a stampede there and councillors had to run for safety because they could not breathe. The Public Order Police (POP) were also invited to oversee the council meeting as there were threats, but what was surprised us, when Moipolai adjourned the meeting, she failed to inform the police that, the meeting will re-convene at 5pm,” said Babuile.
He alleged that this clearly shows that, Moipolai knew what will happen when she re-convene the meeting. It alleged that Moipolai altered the investigation report on the suspended Director of Corporate Services, Dikagiso Mokoma who allegedly misled the council on the danger allowance matter.
Mokoma is also accused of tempering with the recordings of the previous council, where the decision was taken that, all employees will receive R1500 for danger allowance. It is alleged that, all senior managers were paid R2500 instead of R1500 and this was done without the council resolution.
“Moipolai intentionally delayed the council meeting because she was supposed to convene the meeting before 8 November 2022. However, she convened the council meeting after the termination of the municipal manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi’s contract on 8 November 2022.
“So, she presented a completely different report from what was compiled by Gabanakgosi. How can the speaker say she has received a complaint from Mokoma, while she reports to the municipal manager? asked Babuile.
He said they will head to court in order to force Moipolai to comply with the municipal structure act. The Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor in the municipality, Sam Nape shared the same sentiments.
It is alleged that Moipolai and Gaoraelwe want to uplift the suspension of Mokoma and bring her back as the acting municipal manager.
Meanwhile, Moipolai failed to respond to our questions. However, she said in a report presented to the council: “I, the speaker of the council, confirm that the resolution was not to suspend the Mokoma, however, to investigate the matter and report it to the council and allow the council to deliberate on it and take the decision. That is not done.
“So, I believe that the decision to suspend Mokoma was entirely the actions of Gabanakgosi solely and not of the council. The local government regulations on the disciplinary procedures for senior managers were not followed and nor allegations against Mokoma have been made.”
TaungDailyNews 