MOKOPANE – MORE than 30 officials of the Mogalakwena Municipality in the Waterberg district who gathered at the municipal gates sustained injuries when the public order police fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the crowd last Tuesday.
Led by expelled mayor, Malose Mabuela, they were waiting for dismissed municipal manager, Willie Kekana, to address them on a way forward since a court order issued by the Northern Gauteng High Court allowed them to enter the municipal premises.
The police action left 25 people injured and some were arrested and charged with public violence. The injured were taken to the Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane.
Spokesperson for the group, Malesela Selokela, said they did not know why the police fired at them, as they were gathered peacefully.
Mabuela said there were four court orders that ordered the recently reinstated mayor, Tlhalefi Mashamaite, and his councillors to vacate the municipal building.
Mashamaite was unseated last year by members of his party, the ANC, in coalition with opposition councillors after spending over R1 million of the municipality’s money to employ 27 bodyguards, allegedly for his personal protection.
Forensic auditors recommended that criminal charges be laid against Mashamaite for the alleged misuse of public funds. He was replaced by Mabuela, who was expelled by the ANC with 21 of his colleagues, for allegedly working with the opposition to vote Mashamaite out.
In November, Mashamaite was reinstated by cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC, Makoma Makhurupetje. Mabuela and his councillors applied for a court order, which was issued, disallowing the police and councillors led by Mashamaite to enter the premises.
“It is scary in Mogalakwena. The police connive with illegitimate councillors led by Mashamaite. They are undermining our democracy. The police undermine the implementation of the court order. Some municipal employees did not get salaries in December. We remain firm that our problems have to be solved. We need the office of president Jacob Zuma to intervene,” Mabuela said.
CV attempted to obtain comment from Mashamaite or his spokesperson, David Langa, for over a week. However, by the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
ANC provincial secretary, Nocks Seabi said the ANC provincial executive committee was satisfied with the progress made in restoring the ANC leadership of the municipality.
“The organisation will work with its alliance structures to ensure the municipality returns to optimal performance under the guidance of the ANC.”
Provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto said when the police ushered Mashamaite and his group into the municipal building, there was a court order issued to the police. She said it was not the police’s mandate to remove Mashamaite and his group.
“The court order that Malose Mabuela is talking about was issued to the sheriff of the court, not to the police. It is the responsibility of that sheriff of the court to remove them. We are not conniving with anyone,” Otto said.
