MOKOPANE – SERVICE is back to normal this week at the Mogalakwena Municipality where the former mayor, Tlhalefi Mashamaite and his dismissed councillors repeatedly tried to regain control of the municipality.
As if the forced entry by the police on Monday, November 3, was not enough, Mashamaite and his councillors arrived again at the municipality last Thursday to hold a special council meeting at the council chamber.
Armed bodyguards and police officials accompanied them in vehicles from the SAPS TRT and Public Order Policing units from all over Limpopo.
The gate was locked and inside the premises was the other faction of the ANC that supports the current mayor, William Mabuella and his newly appointed councillors. Security guards and the DA councillor, Marcelle Maritz were also present.
An order of the North Gauteng High Court clearly stated that Mashamaite and the ousted councillors may not enter the municipality premises without prior permission.
The tension at the gate was palpable and after a while Mashamaite and his entourage left.
They held their meeting at Oasis Lodge where Mashamaite was re-elected as mayor.
On Friday, Mabuela’s supporters again locked the gates at the municipal buildings, and Mashamaite held his first council meeting with his executives at the lodge.
In a statement the DA said the Limpopo MEC for cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (COGSTA), Mmakoma Makhurupetje, has again acted in contempt of court by ordering police to ensure that an illegal council meeting was held to elect a speaker and a mayor for the Mokgalakwena Municipality.
“It has now transpired that Mokgalakwena has two mayors and two speakers from two competing ANC factions. This municipality is degenerating into complete chaos.”
Kevin Mileham, DA shadow minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, said he will write to parliament’s COGTA portfolio committee to request that they visit Mokgalakwena to get to the bottom of what is going on there.
“Clearly, some form of national intervention is required as the Limpopo MEC is also compromised by the situation,” the statement reads.
A court order dated June 17 prohibits both the MEC and the minister of COGTA, Pravin Gordhan, from intervening in terms of Section 139 and assuming any executive authority over the municipality.
This was confirmed in a further court order dated October 4 which additionally requires the SAPS to facilitate the restoration of the elected council and its legitimate municipal manager.
In a bizarre show of contempt for the rule of law, the MEC reportedly permitted nine persons who have not been sworn in (which the court order of October 4 prohibits) to act as councillors, and to count towards a quorum at the illegal meeting held to elect a new speaker a well as a new mayor. The actions of the MEC and the police must be condemned by Gordhan and the premier as a matter of urgency, said the DA. “The rule of law, and the orders of the court, must be upheld. In this regard, the DA’s provincial leader, Jacques Smalle MPL, will approach the high court to declare the actions of the MEC and the police to be in contempt of the earlier orders.
