North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo.
The ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) in the North West has welcomed the opportunity for Premier Supra Mahumapelo to finally tell his side of the story before the party’s top six leadership.
On Wednesday evening, the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) resolved to recall North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo.
The PEC believes unfounded allegations have been levelled against Mahumapelo by power hungry individuals.
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“The ANC Bokone Bophirima Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) is particularly pleased with the recommendation of the NWC that the National Officials immediately meet with ANC Provincial Chairperson, Cde Supra Mahumapelo. This is what we as the PEC in the province have been asking for since the allegations against our Provincial Chairperson were made,” read the statement.
The NWC’s decision to recall Mahumapelo comes after two weeks of violent protests in the province, which left at least one person dead and put the lives of countless others at risk.
“We believe that it is fair that when someone is accused of so many things and tried in the court of public opinion, our movement that has taught us the principle of being presumed innocent until proven otherwise, should exercise fairness and get all sides of the story. In meetings and in public platforms our Provincial Chairperson and Premier had never been given an opportunity to speak for himself and we are glad that he will finally be able to say his side of the story.”
“Unfortunately for a prolonged period, concocted, unfounded and untested allegations have been directed at our Provincial Chairperson by those who have failed to make it in ANC elective conferences and are opposed to his approach of economically empowering the Villages Townships and Small Dorpies (VTSD).”
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Two senior ANC leaders, one of whom is an NWC member, confirmed the recall decision to the Mail & Guardian. The M&G has learnt the ANC will convene a special NEC on Monday to consider the NWC’s recommendation that Mahumapelo step down.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was powerless to do much about axing Mahumapelo except implement the party’s internal processes, ANC national executive committee (NEC) members said on Wednesday, last week.
Even outside the ambit of the ANC and within the apparatus of the state, the Constitution dictates that premiers are elected by provincial legislatures. Candidates for the position are nominated by their respective political parties.
The ANC had ordered Mahumapelo to appear before the party’s top six officials ahead of the NEC meeting on May 26 and 27 or any special NEC before then. He was expected to explain his earlier inaction against the provincial health head after the department paid an advance of R30‑million to a Gupta-linked company, Mediosa, to operate mobile clinics in the province.
In a statement released on Thursday, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said the NWC “considered the developments in the North West province and reflected on the deep crisis in the [North West] health department and other departments in the province.“The NWC welcomed the intervention of Cabinet in the province which is aimed at restoring good governance and ensuring service delivery is not halted,” he said.“The NWC recommended that the national officials immediately meet with the premier of the North West province, who is also the chairperson of the ANC in the province, to discuss all available constructive options to resolve the ongoing impasse in the interest of the people of the North West province and the movement broadly.”