/ 9 September 2013

ANC deploys heads to campaign in Tlokwe

Anc Deploys Heads To Campaign In Tlokwe

Door-to-door campaigns held in five Tlokwe wards on Monday helped the ANC's national working committee (NWC) understand the community's concerns, the party said on Monday.

"In all these wards the leadership was well-received except in one area where the level of dissatisfaction was visible and we have promised people in that ward to return and deal with their grievances," said ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu.

"We believe that we are gradually reversing the negativity that characterised the situation in Tlokwe," he said.

Members of the ANC's NWC were deployed to wards in Tlokwe to campaign ahead of next week's by-elections.

Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor and Mthembu were sent to ward four, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane to ward 13, ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete and Deputy Minister in the Presidency Obed Bapela to ward 18, ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa to ward 26, and Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom to ward 12.

By-elections will be held on September 18 in Tlokwe, in wards one, four, six, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20 and 26.

Vacant wards
The wards, which were previously represented by the ANC, became vacant when it expelled the councillors.

In July, the ANC expelled 14 councillors after its provincial disciplinary committee found them guilty on four counts of misconduct for participating in a motion of no confidence against Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

Maphetle was replaced by Democratic Alliance councillor Annette Combrink.

However, the ANC's national disciplinary committee overturned the expulsions.

Despite this, eight of the councillors reportedly registered as independent candidates for the by-elections.

Mthembu said some of the previously expelled councillors were helping the ANC to win the council back.

He said the party was confident it would win all nine by-elections.

'Solid ANC'
The ANC retained control of ward nine in Tlokwe, with 738 votes, in a by-election held last month. It was followed by independent candidate Khotso Ratikoane with 504 votes.

Last week, ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said the party was confident it would be able to "bring back" the North West to a "solid ANC".

"Clearly there are issues around the mayor of Tlokwe and the ANC's processes will be in place to deal with those issues," she said.

"There have been mistakes made on all sides … and what we are trying to do is to find a way forward that will not only appease people but is the right thing to do." – Sapa