Branches accuse the acting Bojanala regional secretary of abusing his office to secure his own inclusion on the party representation list
A flag of the ANC flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021, during South Africa’s local elections. Picture: Rodger Bosch / AFP
ANC branch members in the Moses Kotane subregion in North West have lodged a formal complaint with the party’s election committee, chaired by former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe.
They allege candidate nominations are being manipulated ahead of the November local government elections.
In a letter signed by branch chairs and secretaries, the structures appealed to Motlanthe, North West ANC provincial dispute resolution head Motlalepula Rosho and provincial list committee chair Manketsi Tlhape to probe widespread “malpractice”.
The complaint centres on acting Bojanala regional secretary Thapelo Thoboke, whom the branches accuse of abusing his office to secure his own inclusion on the party representation list. They allege he manipulated nomination processes, sabotaged administration and coerced branches into endorsing his name.
According to the complaint, Thoboke allegedly issued unlawful ultimatums compelling branches to put his name on nomination forms.
In ward 30, he is alleged to have rejected a valid nomination list signed off by regional executive committee deployee Gugulethu Mtshali, despite the process being democratic and properly overseen on 7 June.
He is also alleged to have ordered reruns when he was not nominated. The branches also allege he weaponised his office to punish those who resisted.
Among the alleged tactics was withholding QR codes required for branches to convene final AGMs, blocking them from following constitutional procedures.
The complainants asked for the nomination process to be halted until the matter is resolved.
Contacted for comment, Thoboke said he would do so after consulting his attorney.
