Motlanthe wielding the axe against ‘Parachuted’ ANC councillors

ANC election committee chair Kgalema Motlanthe is wielding a big axe against councillors parachuted onto party candidate lists without following democratic selection processes.

The provincial list committees that report directly to Motlanthe had given final notices to some wrongly elected councillors to vacate their seats. They had issued final notices to municipal managers to start removing them after some resisted.

This is part of a decision taken by the ANC top leadership to rectify its election lists, which caused a huge outcry when elected candidates were removed and replaced with candidates allegedly sneaked onto the lists. The party gave Motlanthe’s committee a mandate to act decisively where it identified tangible evidence of manipulation of the selection process.

The illegal councillors would be replaced by legitimate candidates who were sidelined prior to the 3 November local elections. North West is leading in the process to deal with wrongdoers after identifying 155 “parachuted” councillors to be removed.

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The committee said it found that some ministers, MECs, MPs and MPLs were part of syndicates that manipulated the ANC nomination process prior to the election. At least 38 ANC politicians in North West had been identified as being among the manipulators.

Earlier, provincial list committee deputy chair Joe Mboweni said members had allegedly exchanged positions of power, like mayor, speaker and chief whips and other influential posts,

“like they were bartering goods in the market place”.

In Rustenburg at least 17 councillors were to vacate their positions including executive mayor Shirley Huma, council speaker Koketso Mogotsi and chief whip Shirley Mabe. Mabe was elected despite the step-aside rule being applicable to her due to allegations of fraud.

In Moretele, the municipal manager had been given a list of councillors that must go, including executive mayor George Manyike and member of the mayoral committee Violet Maluleka.

The ANC agreed to remove three ward councillors and two PR councillors (PR councillors are primarily accountable to the party) allegedly illegally appointed in Madibeng after legitimate candidates were marginalised and then obtained a court order to be restored to their seats.

The party had yet to implement the ruling.

– ericn@citizen.co.za