ANC SHOULD INSTILL DISCIPLINE AND ORGANISATIONAL INTEGRITY ON ITS COUNCILLORS (DEPLOYEES), SAYS SACP NW
The SACP has observed the developments in Tlokwe Municipality on the position of the Executive Mayor, when democratic processes were undermined and ignored as the Democratic Alliance looted the position of Executive Mayor. In our view as the SACP the elections of the Executive Mayor were flawed in that the DA candidate in question (Councilor Annete Combrink) was not part of Council meeting nor did she formally accept nomination through acceptable means.
The Councilors ignored the procedures of electing an office bearer like an Executive Mayor when they went ahead to vote despite the obvious absence of confirmation of acceptance of nomination by one of the candidates as required by the provisions of the schedule on election of political office bearers in terms of the relevant legislation. We therefore insist that she is not the Executive Mayor of Tlokwe.
We are also disturbed by the high level of ill-discipline amongst ANC Councilors who through their actions played into the hands of forces of darkness and handed-over on a silver platter the position of Executive Mayor. Many including within the ANC or amongst councilors have now given themselves responsibilities of being political analysts on explaining this act of ill-discipline of the highest order by ANC Councilors deployed in Tlokwe.
The SACP is organizationally concerned when factional battles or differences in personalities are used to even undermine the electoral mandate of our movement. The ANC won the elections in Tlokwe and this can't be allowed to be traded on any grounds except when the ANC agrees as an organization to remove or re-call its deployee.
The argument by some that the recall or motion of no-confidence on the previous Executive Mayor- comrade Maphetle Maphetle was necessary on grounds of fighting corruption is very much opportunistic and should not be allowed to create a politically and organizationally wrong precedence. The ANC-led Alliance has a programme to fight corruption but the cadres of our movement cannot be reckless in their approach to this matter. Removal of ANC deployees without the mandate of the organization should not be regarded as evidence of fighting corruption.
Fighting corruption in Municipalities should amongst others included Council authorizing for formal investigations on all serious allegations leveled against Members of Council or Municipal employees. Such information should also be submitted to the law enforcement agencies like the SAPS or the Hawks. The matter of an ANC corrupt or corruption accused deployee should be formally reported to the ANC and once organizational processes have been invoked- the ANC would have to pronounce on the status of its deployee.
ANC councilors are aware that they are informed by the relevant ANC structures on the names of comrades to serve as political office bearers in Councils (Mayor, Speaker and Chief Whip). We therefore wish to advice that comrades with any information on corruption against either comrade Maphetle or Tlokwe Municipality should do the correct thing, and not use information at their disposal to create political inconvenience for our movement.
As the SACP NW, we therefore call for the ANC PEC and ANC REC of Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region to ensure speedy resolution of this organizational embarrassment by instructing ANC councilors in Tlokwe Municipality to ensure re-instatement of ANC Executive Mayor, comrade Maphetle Maphetle through urgent Council processes. We call on both the PEC and REC to organizationally accept leadership responsibility and that comrades should desist any temptation to want to act on behalf of factions whilst pursuing organizational work.
We further call for a thorough investigation of all corruption allegations made against any political office bearer or officials of the Tlokwe Municipality and that tough actions be taken should it be found that the allegations were true. This will send a clear message that the ANC-led Alliance does not tolerate corruption.
Statement issued by Madoda Sambatha, SACP North West Provincial Secretary, November 26 2012
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