/ 9 July 2013

Maphetle threatens Tlokwe DA with land grabs

Maphetle Threatens Tlokwe Da With Land Grabs

Ousted mayor of Tlokwe Maphetle Maphetle threatened land grabbing if the Democratic Alliance (DA) took over the municipality. Together with his mayoral committee, Maphetle insisted that they would not vacate office and make way for newly elected mayor, the Democratic Alliance's Annette Combrick. 

He also demanded that last week's council meeting be ruled illegal or the municipality would face a revolt by residents. In that meeting, he was voted out for the second time in a few months. The former mayor went as far as claiming that the previous DA rule of the municipality turned Potchefstroom into the "skunk city" of the world.

When asked about Maphetle's comments on land grabs, the DA's provincial leader in the North West, Chris Hattingh, said the DA was very disappointed by the approach of the former mayor, as they expected the meeting to bring about stability to the municipality. He confirmed that the DA was now consulting with its lawyers and would seek a court interdict to remove him and his team.

"We are very shocked at his attitude and lack of understanding of how things operate. As we had said before, we are prepared to do what is necessary to bring immediate stability to the municipality," said Hattingh.

He accused the ANC of playing games and seeking a political resolution to what has now become a legal matter. "They are forgetting that legally we can remove them.  He was given a deadline to remove himself by last week Friday, instead he wanted a meeting, which he has used to delay the process," said Hattingh.

Maphetle was voted out twice: once in November 2012 and then in a council meeting last week Tuesday. Twenty-nine councillors, 16 of which were from the ANC, last year showed a vote of no confidence in Maphetle and subsequently voted against him in November. During last week's vote, they again supported his ouster.

The 16 ANC councillors were then summoned to a disciplinary hearing, which was only attended by two of the members who voted Maphetle out. The other 14 were then automatically axed from the ANC.

In a statement released on Friday, the DA claimed that officials were instructed by the ANC not to allow the new DA administration access to the offices.

Divided ANC
Political analyst Professor Andre Duvenhage from the University of the North West said Tlokwe was yet another symptom of just how divided the ANC is. "The instability within Tlokwe will continue for as long as instability in the ANC continues," he said.

Duvenhage believes Maphetle is playing for time in order to strengthen his position. "A legal battle between him and the DA could drag for months, this way he gets a chance to get new councillors in the municipality and subsequently ensure that he is voted back into power," said Duvenhage.

Speaking on the ANC, Duvenhage blamed the party for not being able to control its membership. "Luthuli house has intervened, the disciplinary measures have been exercised and yet Tlokwe is still held hostage by ANC councillors."

The ANC claims that the 16 expelled councillors participated in an irregular council meeting where they voted for Maphetle's unseating last week. Gordon Kegakilwe, member of the provincial ANC, said the actions of the party's members were contrary to its code of conduct. 

"The PDC also said that it was common practice and culture in the ANC that the mayoral appointments and removal thereof is the exclusive domain of the higher structures of the party," he said.

He also said that the positions of the expelled councillors would be filled in due course. They were, however, allowed to appeal their expulsions to the national disciplinary committee of appeal.

Irregularities
The DA has previously called for a forensic investigation into irregularities at the Tlokwe municipality. A probe found the council had irregularly bought Maphetle a R736 000 customised Mercedes-Benz. Maphetle was also found to have allegedly abused the municipality's disaster management fund and poverty relief fund.

The report recommended that formal disciplinary action be taken against him and other officials. In May, the DA laid criminal charges against Maphetle. In June, public protector Thuli Madonsela said she would investigate the claims of corruption involving Maphetle.

On Sunday, Combrink told the Sunday Times that the DA had a meeting with the 14 axed ANC councillors. She said that they were not offering them anything in return for having helped unseat ANC mayor Maphetle.

"None of us are in a position to offer anyone money or positions. But their co-operation would be beneficial – even if they stood as independent candidates in the next by-election," she said.

Meanwhile, residents of the municipality have welcomed the new DA mayor and are confident that service delivery will improve drastically under her leadership.

The DA assured the councillors that once matters stabilised, they would act immediately to deal with key delivery issues. "We will also move to deal with the findings of corruption in the forensic audit commissioned by the DA during our last tenure in charge," said Hattingh.