The embattled North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro said he is adamant that he is still the Premier of the “politically-struck” province and the member of the ANC in good standing amid membership suspension allegations.
The suspension decision comes after the ANC Interim Provincial Committee in the North West led by its co-ordinator, Hlomani Chauke allegedly established that Mokgoro was among four ANC members of the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) who defied the party’s mandate this week by voting for ANC MPL, Priscilla Williams, as the NWPL’s Chair of Chairs.
The ANC IPC instructed its members to vote for MPL Lenah Miga as the NWPL Chair of Chairs. However, the ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong did not deny nor confirm the suspension allegations.
Morolong said: “Well, we cannot confirm nor deny these reports. All I can say is that we’ve got a scheduled press conference on Sunday at which we will expand on these matters.”
Meanwhile, Mokgoro told Newzroom Afrika TV channel that he did not receive any communication from the IPC and he just heard these allegations from the media.
“I really do not understand what gives life to these allegations. At the recent vote, I participated in as a deployee of the ANC was a secret ballot and that is all I can remember. In my entire life, I have never really gone against the mandate or the instruction from the African National Congress.
“So, this is all very unclear to me. Secondly, I have seen these all over the show and hearing people that they have seen a communiqué reporting the suspension of myself. However, nobody has communicated that from the ANC from the province. So, it continues to be news to me and I don’t know anything about my suspension.
He said he just emerged from the ANC Cabinet Lekgotlha, which has been going on for the past three days and no at behold did he bump to the news of his suspension.
Mokgoro added that since his deployment to the premiership position, a major obstacle is in the cause of the service delivery and it is sad because it is the people they are supposed to serve that suffer the most.
The ANC Interim Provincial Committee in the North West has ‘suspended’ the ANC membership of the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro. However, the ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong did not want to confirm nor deny the report.
“Well, we cannot confirm nor deny these reports. All I can say is that we’ve got a scheduled press conference on Sunday at which we will expand on these matters,” Morolong said.
Mokgoro’s suspension comes after he allegedly voted with the opposition parties when the Member of Provincial Legislature (MPLs) at the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) were voting to elect the new NWPL chair of chairs this week.
It is alleged that the ANC IPC instructed its members to vote for ANC MPL, Lenah Miga, but Mokgoro and the other three members allegedly defied the instruction and voted with the opposition parties to elect the ANC MPL, Priscilla Williams.
The voting process was conducted through a secret ballot.
In his political report to the 50th National Conference of the ANC that was held in Mahikeng in 1997, the former President Nelson Mandela, warned and reminded delegates that the ANC was three years in government, but already its deployees were showing some negative tendencies.
To be specific, President Nelson Mandela had given this observation and called for an urgent intervention and said: “We say this because a number of negative features within the ANC and the broad democratic movement have emerged during the last three years. We have an inescapable responsibility to attend to these matters frankly and decisively in defense of both our movement and our revolution.”
I am of the strong view that, the movement and its leadership has not sufficiently heeded to the call of decisively dealing with deployees who continue to disappoint and undermine the movement and betray the people’s cause.
Former President Mandela has further shared with delegates the painful reality of the negative features which engulfed the movement. He had this to say: “One of these negative features is the emergence of careerism within our ranks. Many among our members see their membership of the ANC as a means to advance their personal ambitions to attain positions of power and access to the resource for their own individual gratification.”
Probably had decisive action was long taken against the cancer of careerism and corruption within the ranks and files of the movement, we could have avoided the establishment of the Zondo commission.
It is quite explicit that for a very long time the leadership of the ANC has been giving lip service to a fight against corruption and careerism within the ranks and files.
Now I think that “we have inescapable responsibility to” fight corruption and careerism wherever they raise their ugly heads within the movement, government and the society in general.
Note: Orapeleng Matshidiso is a political activist in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Region and also a staunch member of the ANC. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Taung DailyNews.
The Tshepong Complex Hospital in Klerksdorp is looking for Thandanani Nkomo (29) who went missing on 12 January 2021. The hospital spokesperson, Nico Masiu said Nkomo and the other six patients were escorted to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng to six different clinics for medical attention.
“The escort nurse helped with consulting in the clinics and accompanied the mother of Nkomo to the pharmacy. She requested the mother to remain with her child as she was going to help other patients. On coming back, the mother reported that the child is missing.
“The matter was reported to the Matron on duty at Bara hospital, and the security office to report the missing child. The security officer at Bara checked the CCTV camera which showed the patient was seen exiting the main entrance on the day of the incident,” Masiu said.
He added that the security officers at Bara then reported the matter to SAPS. Masiu added that a case of a missing person was opened and at present, the patient has not been found yet.
“Should you know or saw Thandanani Nkomo, please contact Matron In – Charge of Outpatients at Tshepong hospital on Tel: 018 406 3111 or Mr. Nico Masiu: PRO on 0606837096,” he said.
Picture/Sowetan: ANC member, Sinah Makgatlha and the embattled Rustenburg Local Municipality mayor, Mpho Khunou
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
The ANC Young Women’s Desk in North West said it is concern over the allegations levelled against the Executive Mayor of Rustenburg Local Municipality, Mpho Khunou.
This comes after the embattled Khunou found himself embroiled in a scandal after a former colleague, Sinah Makgatlha (35) who is also a member of ANC, has accused him of harassing her and leaking her nudes to spite her after she ended their relationship.
According to Sowetan newspaper, Makgatlha has opened a crimen injuria and defamation cases against Khunou and has also obtained a protection order against him. However, it was reported that Khunou has approached the court to try and overturn an interim protection order granted against him.
Now, the ANC Young Women’s desk provincial convener, Galebekwe Tlhapi said: “We have noted with concern the allegations levelled against Khunou. We still reiterate that our stand against Gender-Based Violence holds no fear or favour on perpetrators found guilty by the court of law on committing heinous crimes.
“Allegations levelled against Khunou cannot be taken on a lighter note due to his reputable position as a leader within the ANC led government. In fact, we urge that stringent laws are taken against him if he is found to be guilty of such crimes.”
Tlhapi added that as the Young Women’s Desk supports the victim for taking the matter to court and stand with her until the court rules otherwise. She further sensitizes some members of the organisation to not deduce this matter as a political ploy against Khunou, but request parties involved to allow the process to unfold and deal with the matter accordingly in respect of the court’s decision.
“We are, however, perturbed by the unending pattern of our own leaders and members of the organisation who continue to use their leading positions of power to demonstrate narcissistic deeds.
“We, therefore, urge the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) to lead by example in ensuring a fair and safe environment for the most vulnerable and voiceless people, and act swiftly on the matter whilst investigations are ongoing,” said Tlhapi.
Picture Supplied: The decease, Breakthrough Global Director, Dr Samuel January
By REGINALD KANYANE
Mahikeng Ministers Fellowship (MMF) mourns the death Dr Samuel January. The Interdenominational five-fold ministries fraternal chairperson, Senior Pastor Moss Tlalang described January as a servant leader who has run the race with perseverance, dignity, and integrity.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his beloved wife and ministry partner, Sister Althea, the bereaved January family, the Breakthrough Ministries, relatives, and friends during this difficult period of mourning.
“We hope that the bereaved will find solace in knowing that the leadership and membership of MMF committed to the unity of the body of Christ, the Great Commission and Kingdom collaboration shares their grief and sorrow,” he said.
Tlalang added that January was not a member of MMF, however, through his company, Breakthrough Travel, he had sponsored the MMF Global Day of Prayer Banner which the organisation is using to-date.
He further said the Danville community, Mahikeng and the body of Christ, in general, has lost one of its spiritual leaders who was a pillar of strength and a fountain of great wisdom who was committed to the work of the Lord.
Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said the Tourism Equity Fund worth R1.2 billion will alleviate poverty, fight inequality, create jobs, and promote the growth of black-controlled tourism enterprises.
Kubayi-Ngubane said this during the launch on Tuesday. She said the launch has been established by the Department of Tourism, in partnership with the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, which falls under the Department of Small Business Development.
“The Tourism Equity Fund is a dedicated fund that will provide a combination of debt finance and grant funding to facilitate equity acquisition as well as new project development in the tourism sector by black entrepreneurs.
“In this partnership, the fund will be managed by sefa on behalf of the Department of Tourism over the initial three-year period of which after that, we will evaluate to improve the fund,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.
She further said during this three year period, the Department of Tourism will capitalise the fund with an amount of R540 million. Kubayi-Ngubane added that the funding from the department will be matched with a contribution of R120 million from sefa and R594 million from commercial banks that will be participating in this programme.
“This combination will put the value of the Tourism Equity Fund at just over R1.2 billion. The fund will be commercially viable and sustainable for the majority of Black-owned tourism enterprises with a minimum of 51% black ownership including enterprises in rural areas and townships.
“It will also de-risk the funding provided to tourism enterprises through patient capital that will ease the debt repayment ability of black-controlled enterprises. The fund will facilitate the participation of targeted groups such as women and youth in the priority tourism sectors as defined by the B-BBEE sector codes,” she said.
Kubayi-Ngubane said they are also excited to announce that they have opened the call for proposals from entrepreneurs who have projects that need funding. She said the team is ready to receive proposals and get the programme rolling.
“The details of the requirements and where to send proposals will be published on various media platforms. The tourism sector in South Africa is largely private sector owned and driven, and its contribution to the South African economy has grown tremendously since the 1994 democratic breakthrough.
“In addition to the beautiful landscapes, the long coastline, and the wildlife, South Africa is also endowed with rich biodiversity and a cultural diversity that makes South Africa one of the world’s most sought after tourism destination. This is because these endowments combine to make South Africa’s tourism attractions more diverse than other tourist destinations,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.
She said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the tourism sector to a grinding halt for most of last year and still continues today. Kubayi-Ngubane said the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has reduced the number and diversity of tourism attractions.
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow Minister of Tourism, Manny de Freitas said they do not believe that the fund will meet its intended targets of boosting South Africa’s tattered tourism industry through improving the participation of black entrepreneurs in the sector.
“While it is important that there are continued efforts to strengthen the participation of emerging entrepreneurs, it cannot happen at the expense of the tourism industry as a whole. As always, the government’s solutions for tourism remain one-dimensional – as if funding is the be-all and end-all to making tourism enterprises successful.
“The irony seems to be missed by the government in that it was their illogical lockdown regulations that decimated the sector and killed a million jobs. Another irony missed by Ramaphosa, who described the tourism sector as “resilient” by nature, was that the resilience that he describes within tourism is despite the government not because of it,” de Freitas said.
Picture: Greater Taung Local Municipal Manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi
By BAKANG MOKOTO
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Greater Taung Local Municipality calls for the suspension of the municipal manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi, and the Chief Financial Officer, Victor Tshwene.
The DA caucus leader, Lesego Maila said for the past two years, the municipality has failed to submit its Annual Financial Statement (AFS) as required by Section 126(1)(a) of the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003.
“During a virtual Special Council meeting, the municipality presented a report claiming that the delay was due to Covid-19 as the finance staff was working remotely and were unable to consolidate all relevant financial supporting documents.
“However, in the 2018/2019 financial year, South Africa had not yet reported any cases of Covid-19 and yet in the same report, there was no financial statements or information submitted,” Maila said.
She further said the report that was presented, shows that the municipality is not taking responsibility for the financial mismanagement and their failure to comply with their statutory obligations.
Maila added that the National Treasury even extended the deadline for the AFS to be submitted and still the municipality failed to meet that deadline.
“During the council meeting, the DA recommended that a forensic investigation be conducted as the AFS was not submitted because there wasn’t enough financial information and supporting documents submitted.
“The lack of information points to irregularities by the Accounting Officers. We requested that the AG report on failed submission of the annual financial statements be made available and tabled in council,” she said.
Maila also alleged that the municipal mayor, Kgosi Nnyoko Motlhabane failed to exercise his oversight role over the financial management of the municipality, therefore he must be held responsible for his failure.
“We have also requested an audit into the money spent on overtime by all financial staff of the municipality, should any irregularities be found, the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) must ensure that the money is recovered since then has been a failure in performing duties.
“The DA also recommended that the Municipal Manager and the Chief Financial Officer be suspended pending said processes. We made these recommendations, however, the Speaker Ebuseng Tladi did not allow for the secondment to take place, rendering council useless in exercising its duties,” she said.
However, the Greater Taung Local Municipal Manager, Katlego Gabanakgosi refuted Maila’s claims and rendered them absurd. Gananakgosi said the delays were caused by various reasons including the collapsed of the Financial Management System that affected four other municipalities in the province.
“As the municipality, we thrive on transparency and accountability, in particular, I as the accounting officer. I will just give a background that 2018/19 financial year annual statements have been submitted to the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) around 8 January 2020. Yes, they were late because, under normal circumstances, AFS is supposed to be submitted within 60 days at the end of the financial year.
“This means we were supposed to submit our 2018/19 AFS in August 2019. However, we could not do that because of the problems we had with the Financial Management System (FMS). Other four municipalities also failed to submit their AFS due to the same challenges,” he said.
Gabanakgosi ‘hold no punches’ and said the same council including the DA had walked the path with them as they have explained to them the reasons for late submissions. He said mostly, their challenges were caused by the disintegration of the system.
“Even though our system crashed, we managed to submit in January 2020. The only unfortunate part was that a month towards the AG auditing those AFS, we were hit by COVID-19 disease and the audit too long.
“It was only on 10December 2020 when we were given the audit outcomes, which was a qualified opinion. It is common that we needed to wait for the audit outcomes that came out on 10 December 2020 to compile the report for 2019/2020 financial year,” said Gabanakgosi.
He said their plan was to submit the AFS in January 2021, but due to some COVID-19 related challenges, they could not submit. Gabanakgosi said three of their officials from the finance department were affected by COVID-19.
“We are planning to submit our AFS for the 2019/2020 financial year at the end of February 2021 and the council have approved our request. Actually, it was not the DA’s recommendation that the matter is sent to the MPAC for investigations.
“The DA statement is misleading because it is the council that took the decision to refer the matter to the MPAC for investigations,” he said.
Meanwhile, the municipal speaker Ebusang Tladi said: “It is untrue that after Maila suggested the suspension of the Municipal Manager, the CFO and the issue of non-compliance on the oversight role by the mayor, I did not give an opportunity to anyone to second that. Unfortunately, no one seconded her on those agendas. So, the item was closed before moving to the next one.”
Picture: A generic picture depicting an accident/Facebook
By REGINALD KANYANE
Seven people lost their lives in a horrific ‘head-on’ collision accident on N14 outside Vryburg on Sunday. North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari said two sedans both registered in Gauteng Province, were traveling in opposite directions when they collided about 80 kilometres from Vryburg towards Kuruman.
“It is a tragedy and heart-wrenching. We would like to send our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. It was so sad that the Jaws of Life was used in a rescue operation, which in turn became recovery as all seven trapped passengers were deceased.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that four were females and three were males. Two of the deceased were identified and were from Morokweng, while the other one was from Ganyesa,” he said.
Lehari applauded those law enforcement officers who rushed to the accident scene to try and rescue those trapped inside the wreckage. He added that it was unfortunate that all involved passed on.
Investigation for the cause of the accident is underway.
Picture: ANC members on a peaceful march against ANC IPC in North West to remove troikas in municipalities
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
The political factional battles continue to show its ugly head amongst ANC members in various municipalities. This comes after ANC municipal leaders, who have been ousted, decided to take a legal route as they deem their removals unconstitutional.
However, it seems the battle is far from over as even though the courts rule on their favours, they are now ousted either through petitions or motion of no confidence tabled against them.
The latest municipal leaders to be eliminated are Ratlou Local Municipality acting mayor, Mamoitsadi Phaedi and the municipal speaker, Oabile Seabelo who were removed through petition. The same process has also unfolded in Matlosana, Ditsobotla, Naledi, Maquassi Hills and Tswaing.
Ratlou Local Municipality spokesperson, Lesego Metsi said: “The municipal council has resolved to reinvent its Executive Council Committee (ECC) and replaced the acting mayor and the speaker during a virtual Special Council meeting held on 14 January 2021.
“The move by the council comes as an impulse to regain political stability that has been viewed as a stumbling block to service delivery and smooth administration within the institution. The council resolved to elect Segametsi Ntladi as the new mayor.”
He said that the council also took note of petition and vote of no confidence against the council speaker, Oabile Seabelo and further resolved to remove him from the position of the speaker and to apply consequence management processes against him. Agisanang Ramosidi was elected as the acting speaker.
Meanwhile, the council of Ditsobotla Local Municipality has ousted mayor, Daniel Buthelezi and his Executive Committee with a motion of no confidence, during a Special Council sitting held on 15 January 2021.
According to the municipality spokesperson, Pius Batsile, the majority of councillors have unanimously voted in favour of the removal of the entire Executive Committee during that meeting.
“The council of Ditsobotla has instituted the motion of no confidence on the entire Executive committee based on its lacklustre performance and total failure to bring reports to the council about the appointment of a new financial management system, which is attributed among others to the municipality not billing consumers and producing annual financial statements for auditing purposes.
“Furthermore, the council is convinced that the process of not billing consumers has adversely affected the cash flow of the municipality and impacted on the funding of key service delivery programmes,” Batsile said.
Tsholofelo Moreo was elected as the new mayor.
Some section of ANC members believes that the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the North West is behind the removals of those ANC municipal leaders to further its self-interest. They accused the IPC of trying to capture municipalities in quest of redirecting all tenders to their cronies and raise money for the upcoming Elective Provincial Conference campaigns.
However, the ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong refuted those allegations and called them hogwash. He said the ANC IPC is not a homogenous body, so it cannot remove people with intentions of amassing resources for the conference.
“The ANC IPC in the North West would not have issued the instruction for the removal of the Ratlou Local Municipality’s Chief Whip because in our discussions to remove troikas in five municipalities, Ratlou was not part of them. Any decision to remove an ANC member who occupies public office will be deemed to be in defiance of the position of the organization with issues of the matter of deployment.
“Once the comrade is removed without the sanction of the structure of the organization, we will instruct the comrades involved to reverse that decision. So, IPC will not be under any circumstances given the instruction for the removal of the Ratlou Local Municipality,” Morolong said.
He further said they will respond appropriately to this development after receiving a written report. However, Morolong added that there was an instruction that the troikas in Matlosana and Ditsobatla step down.
“We have instructed these comrades to step down. Our view is that this development is indicative of the ongoing squabbles in the caucuses of these municipalities. We will at an appropriate time as the ANC, provide leadership in respect of the removal of these troikas.
“It will never happen without proper political guidance. So, we will provide requisite guidance on how these processes must ensue. We are going to act on everybody who has chosen to defy the process of the organization,” he said.
Morolong also said they are concerned about ill-discipline that continued to be displayed by some of the ANC members. He said they are going to take harsh actions against the embattled JB Marks Local Municipality mayor and the Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality, Mpho Pilane.
“We are going to act on members of the troikas, the mayor of the JB Marks Local Municipality and the mayor of the Lekwa-Teemane. The ANC must prevail over its deployees and it is our responsibility to ensure that the instructions of the IPC is carried and implemented.
“We are disappointed that ANC deployees are yet to heed to the call of the organization. There are challenges of ill-discipline and improper conduct by ANC members and deployees within the organization,” he said.
Morolong said this is one reason why the IPC was established to rebuild, renew and unite the ANC. However, Morolong admits that they knew that they will come across members of the ANC under normal circumstance who want to defy the call to contribute to the unity of the ANC.
“There is also a committee that addresses those who are in the wrong. This matter continues to be handled by the IPC and we will continue to take disciplinary action against those members who continue to defy the decisions of the ANC. He said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial secretary, Papiki Babuile said: “Actually at the main, is not about service delivery. It is about accessing the funds of the municipalities to enrich themselves. It has been proven that the reshuffling and the removals of individuals have not to bear any fruits.
“The only interest the ANC has is to enrich them. If you go to Ditsobotla for example, they have started with the Municipal Manager who resigned, and later on, they have ousted the Chief Whip and the mayor. The new ones who are already appointed in these positions, they have already started to talk about tenders.”
He said in the Matlosana Local Municipality, the same process is unfolding too. Babuile added that the ANC deployees are fighting over tenders there.
“If the concern was about service delivery, why are they not raising those points in their Portfolio Committees in various municipalities?” asked Babuile.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Chief Whip in North West, Freedy Sonakile shared the same sentiments. Sonakile said the removal of ANC municipal leaders by their own, is just a mere factional politics at play, nothing serious.
“Those that they are replacing them with had an oversight role to play and to point out at all wrongdoing but they kept quiet. They can’t only wake up 6 months before elections. What the people of North West need now is a new government, not recycled cadres,” he said.
The Guardian 