Some disgruntled members of the African National Congress (ANC) in the North West have stormed into a meeting held in Rustenburg by the team investigating allegations of manipulation of councillor candidate lists.
The investigation team led by Tate Makgoe began its investigation in the Bojanala region, which comprises of localities including Rustenburg, Madibeng and Moretele.
ANC members around the country allege that names were removed from candidate lists before the November 2021 local government elections.
An initial investigation into the complaints, which was undertaken by former ANC deputy-president Kgalema Motlanthe, found that of all the disputes lodged nationally, the ones from the North West required further extensive probing.
A meeting to resolve the impasse that has dogged the ruling party in the North West for quite a long time erupted into chaos when the discontented members interrupted the meeting and refused to make presentations to the committee with respect to the allegations of manipulation of councillor lists.
The Provincial List Committee (PLC) that worked with the Motlanthe-led team had already compiled a report, which should be implemented immediately.
The ANC Disputes Investigation team says its formation is aimed at bringing this matter to finality. The team’s secretary, Chief Matsila addressed the disgruntled members saying their team is in possession of reports which they are analysing which were received from the PLC.
ANC branches in the North West raise concerns on party’s disregard of their disputes:
“We want to make sure that these reports reflect your grievances. We don’t want to trust them without your submissions, which is why we said we must also see you face-to-face and hear from you what happened with the processes of the candidate selection work,” said Matsila to the aggrieved members.
The response from the secretary was unsatisfactory to the dissatisfied members. The unhappy ANC members say over 150 wards had their lists manipulated prior to the 2021 local government elections.
“In the office of Comrade Matsila, as the Secretary Administrator, the report is there. What we want from you chairperson- and the team- is implementation. People paid R100 000, R200 000 to become mayor. They paid! How difficult is it to take a decision regarding these people who swindled their way in?” said one of the members who was part of the group which had interrupted the meeting.
Pakiso Mqikela, who is a representative of the disgruntled ANC North West members, says the report that the investigation into the report by the PLC is being undermined because it implicates people in top leadership in the province.
Makgoe as the convener of the investigating team has pleaded for patience as the investigation team gathers all the evidence.
He assured the members that they and the ANC NEC are taking the matter very seriously.
