Ntoampe Ben Thobela was suspended in June amid allegations of misconduct involving a R25m loan.
In a rare alliance that shocked the Limpopo province this week, two political giants, the ANC and DA, spoke out against the proposal made by suspended Modimolle/Mookgophong municipal manager Ntoampe Ben Thobela.
Thobela was suspended on 25 June 2025 amid allegations of misconduct involving a R25 million loan debacle that set tongues wagging in Limpopo.
Thobela reportedly sent the Modimolle/Mookgophong council a proposal letter asking to resign peacefully from his duties in exchange for the municipality withdrawing disciplinary action against him.
ANC Waterberg regional spokesperson Seraka Mabeka said the ANC was the first to raise a red flag.
“The Modimolle/ Mookgophong local municipality had its own share of financial melancholy. In light of this, the council took a decision to borrow money from reputable financial institutions such as the banks in an effort to bankroll its day-to-day operations,” Mabeka said.
“The loan had strict conditions, though. The council ordered Thobela, as the accounting officer, to borrow the money only from reputable financial institutions such as banks.
“The council was very clear, it sent Thobela to borrow only R10 million. But ironically, it was later established that the municipal manager (Thobela) brushed the council’s strict directives aside and borrowed R15 million more, to make it R25 million. This he did without the council’s approval.”
“Worse, it was later understood that Thobela did not borrow from reputable financial institutions, but from a service provider who is doing business with the same municipality. In light of this, the council took the decision to suspend him with full pay while investigations into his misconduct continued,” he said.
Thobela’s proposal
The Citizen can reveal that during a special council sitting of August 21, 2025, the council received proposals from Thobela.
The primary dispute, according to the list of proposals The Citizen has seen, is his suspension.
He promised the council that he would resign from his position as municipal manager, effective August 21, 2025. He, however, warned that the resignation will not be deemed a dismissal but should be a mutual separation.
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Reaction
This, however, did not go down well with the council.
The DA was the first to fire a salvo of shots.
DA spokesperson on budget and treasury for Modimolle-Mookgophong municipality Paul du Plessis said it would take a miracle for the DA to accept Thobela’s proposal.
“We dismiss Thobela’s golden handshake proposal with the contempt it deserves. The DA caucus led the charge to deny any further payouts to the suspended municipal manager.
“We can confirm that the council on 21 August received a proposal by Thobela indicating his willingness to resign with immediate effect. But that came with wayward conditions. He said he was ready to resign on condition that all disciplinary matters against him be set aside, that the council pay all his legal costs including his remuneration for the 24 months left of his contract.
“We firmly reject any agreement that requires costs or further payments to the suspended manager. We, as the DA, also proposed to accept the immediate resignation of Mr Thobela and agree to the stopping of disciplinary proceedings only on condition that any criminal investigations must proceed unhindered,” Du Plessis said.
Several attempts to get comment from both Thobela and municipal mayor Sechele Aaron Sebolai were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
