By OBAKENG MAJE
16 July 2025- The African National Congress (ANC) in North West is expected to expel 10 of its councillors at the embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg. This comes after Mazwi Moruri, Jairous Modisakeng, Aaron Motlung, Manti Motsepo, Bafana Nkutha, Koos Rabeng, Titus Maxongo, Dolph Ngake, Tshepiso Mere and Sibusiso Thamaga, accused of violating the party’s constitution.
It is alleged that, the above-mentioned individuals, refused to obey the party’s instruction by supporting the election of Molefe Morutshe as the new mayor of Ditsobotla Local Municipality among others. The ANC’s Provincial Disciplinary Committee found them guilty after undergoing a disciplinary process.
According to the ANC representative, Tebogo Mohlamme’ submission, the appropriate sanction in terms of paragraph 59 of the appendix 3 of the Constitution of the ANC as amended and adopted at the 55th National Conference should be implemented. Mohlamme’s report said the ANC reached an agreement with these councillors on 27 May 2025, however, they went against it.
“The charged members refused to drink and therefore, the matter must be finalised by the Provincial Disciplinary Committee in terms of the provision of Rule 25.21 and Rule 25.22 of the constitution of the ANC. The ANC deployed all charged members as its public representatives at Ditsobotla Local Municipality following bi-elections, which were held on 14 December 2022.
“The bi-elections were scheduled by the IEC after the municipal council was dissolved in terms of Section 139 (1) (c) of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 as amended. The ANC managed to obtain 16 seats from 39 available at the municipal council.
“The facts before the Provincial Disciplinary Committee are that the party caucus is highly divided and there is nothing that can unite the comrades deployed at Ditsobotla Local Municipality. ANC PEC decision to deploy comrade Molefe Morutshe as the intervention mayor at the Ditsobotla Local Municipality,” he said.
Mohlamme further said as the results of political and administrative challenges at Ditsobotla Local Municipality, the ANC PEC resolved that Morutshe be deployed as the mayor of Ditsobotla Local Municipality and such mandate was communicated to the party caucus of the organisation on 28 February 2025. He added that for record purposes, the deployment of the mayor, speaker and chief whip of any municipality, falls within the deployment process of the organisation.
“The party caucus did not implement the mandate as expected by the organisation and another party caucus was convened at Mpekwa House on 3 March 2025 as the mayoral candidate of the Ditsobotla Local Municipality. However, the meeting was not successful due to no show of the above-mentioned individuals.
“The decision was taken by the organisation to initiate the disciplinary proceedings against the above-mentioned comrades in terms of the provision of Rule 25.17 of the constitution of the ANC and here under are the misconduct charges which were preferred against the ten members,” said Mohlamme.
He said the councillors are guilty of contravention of Rule 25.17.1 of the ANC constitution as amended and adopted at the 55th National Congress in Nasrec in Johannesburg in that you have acted in breach of membership oath. Mohlamme said on being accepted as the member of the ANC, in language that was well understood by them as provided for in Rule 4.16 of the constitution of ANC, they made solemn declarations to the body or person designated to administer such oaths.
“When joining the organisation as a member, you agreed that you will respect the constitution and the structure and work as the loyal members of the organisation and further that you will place your energies and skills at the disposal of the organisation and carry out tasks given to yourselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) is expected to present verdicts of cases tabled before the provincial disciplinary committee today at the ANC Chief Whip’s Boardroom in the North West Provincial Legislature in Mahikeng at 2pm.
The ANC provincial spokesperson, Tumelo Maruping said: “In terms of Appendix 3 of the ANC Constitution on disciplinary procedure, the organisation is required to publicise the verdicts of matters processed by the Disciplinary Committee of the ANC.
“In light of these requisites, the PDC has finalised a number of cases, which includes amongst others, matters relating to embattled comrades and deployees in Ditsobotla.”
The Guardian 