North West ANC interim committee concerned over removal of mayors through no-confidence votes

The African National Congress (ANC) Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the North West has raised concerns regarding the continuing trend to remove ANC mayors in the province’s municipalities through motions of no-confidence.  

So far, five mayors have been removed, with the latest being the mayor of the Greater Taung Local Municipality, Kgosi Nyokong Motlhabane.  

He was removed as mayor during a special council meeting on Tuesday.  

The special council meeting was conducted virtually:

Motlhabane is the second mayor to be removed in less than a week, following the removal of the Madibeng Mayor in Brits, Jostina Mothibi.  

ANC IPC Spokesperson Kenny Morolong says their concern is that their deployees connive with opposition parties to remove their own mayors. 

“These developments represent a continuation of a new and worrying tendency in our caucuses across the province. A tendency that seeks to erode the centrality of the ANC as the only strategic centre of power. We wish to remind our deployees that the deployment and or re-deployment of mayors remain the exclusive domain of the Interim Provincial Committee.”  

Other removals 

In February, mayor of the Maquassi Hills Local Municipality in Wolmaranstad, Noni Kgabi,  was removed from her position through a motion of no confidence led by the Forum 4 Service Delivery. 

Thirteen ANC councillors are reported to have joined forces with five opposition party members and voted in support of the motion. 

Kgabi was removed as some of her colleagues accused her of failing to perform her oversight role, saying this impacted negatively on service delivery.  

The ANC in the province has since lambasted its deployees who colluded with the opposition to remove her: 

Last month, the IPC suspended the membership of Premier Job Mokgoro and others in the provincial legislature. 

The IPC says some of its members within the provincial legislature, including the premier, were colluding with opposition parties. 

Plot to remove ANC  

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters in the province, which is among the parties leading the tabling of these motions, says their action is paving ways to remove the ANC in power. 

EFF Regional Secretary in the Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Region, Justice Dabampe says: “We welcome that although we say that it was a long overdue motion and that is not where we are, we are hopeful that in November 2021 we will eventually remove the ANC from power.”