An African National Congress mayor and a councillor in Bothaville, respectively facing charges of attempted murder and assault, have been suspended, the party announced on Tuesday.
Controversial Nala mayor Godfrey ”Baarde” Tsoai and another councillor, Khumisi Letsoara, have been suspended as councillors and party members.
Free State ANC deputy leader Pat Matosa said the two members have been informed about the decision. They will have to explain their conduct and behaviour at disciplinary proceedings.
”It’s the view of the provincial working committee that the circumstances around the criminal charges faced by the two comrades were serious in nature, particularly because the two are ANC representatives at local government level,” said Matosa.
Tsoai faces charges of attempted murder and public violence after he allegedly tried to drive through a group of protesters that wanted to deliver a memorandum to the municipality in Bothaville in August.
Matosa said the disciplinary charges against Tsoai emanates from his conduct when he ”brutally assaulted” a number of comrades as a follow-up to attending an ANC conference and municipal workers’ march on August 5.
”He [also] dismissed council employees who are viewed to be in close association with the current regional executive committee of the ANC,” Matosa said.
Various groups in the community have criticised Tsoai’s actions as mayor for more than a year.
At a presidential municipal imbizo (meeting) at Welkom in July this year, a group of ANC members from the Nala municipality staged a quiet protest with placards to attract President Thabo Mbeki’s attention to their efforts.
On Tuesday, Matosa confirmed that the disciplinary action against Tsoai had been the result of a build-up of complaints received and the ”monitoring” of the situation by various provincial and national ANC office bearers.
The suspension of Letsoara, a Nala executive committee member, stems from a charge that was laid after he allegedly assaulted Kgotsong residents during a municipal workers’ march on August 4.
The Nala municipality includes Bothaville and Wesselsbron. — Sapa