Justin Pearce
Tensions between Free State Premier Patrick “Terror” Lekota and provincial ANC members are not over yet. A new storm is brewing which will see provincial MPs’ loyalty to the premier tested in a vote in the Free State legislature.
This follows the suspension of five senior officials from the province’s Department of Trade and Industry. The suspended government officials have approached the provincial legislature arguing their suspension was not according to procedure, and the matter has been referred for investigation to the standing committee on trade and industry.
That committee happens to be chaired by Vax Mayekiso, the former MEC for housing who has had an uneasy relationship with the premier ever since being removed from his position after allegations of corruption last year.
After investigation by the committee, Mayekiso said the matter will be put to the vote before the legislature at its next meeting, later this month or early in August. This will prove the litmus test of claims which are made against Lekota — if the ANC is as strongly against him as his detractors claim, caucusing among ANC members of the legislature could see the vote go against the premier.
He said there was evidence the officials had opened two bank accounts and spent without government authorisation
He denied suggestions that the challenge by the suspended officials was part of a plot by his political enemies, and said the challenge posed no threat to his position: “The suspensions have nothing to do with whether I’m premier.”
Provincial ANC chair Pat Matosa said there was “general dissatisfaction” with the way the premier had handled the suspension of the officials, and warned “it may become a political issue”.
Lekota’s position was first thought to be on the line three weeks ago, when accusations by the Free State ANC that the premier had acted unilaterally in reshuffling his cabinet prompted President Nelson Mandela to send a national ANC delegation to the Free State to mediate between Lekota and provincial ANC officials.
The visit by the ANC national delegation three weeks ago brought temporary respite to the tensions in the province, with all parties expressing their willingness to co-operate.
“The [ANC] provincial executive took the position I must stay on and resolve some of the problems,” Lekota said.
But while provincial ANC secretary general Kaizer Sebothelo insists the previous meeting came to an amicable agreement, others in the ANC describe it as a “smokescreen” which concealed unresolved differences between the party and the premier.