North West ANC shenanigans forces resignation of new MEC 

29 May 2014

Ontlametse Reginah Mochware has had to resign as an MEC within hours of being sworn in. The DA warned that this would happen, since Mochware's swearing-in was a blatant contravention of the Electoral Act.

In order to make space for Mochware, the ANC illegally manipulated its party list after all legislature members, including the speaker were sworn in. 

This is highly ironic given that the entire legislature had just sworn to protect the constitution and the rule of law. It is sad that one of the first steps taken by the new legislature was in contravention of the Electoral Act. 

This episode is indicative of the factionalism in the ANC in NW. The deployment of Mochware into the North West Executive, the most inexperienced executive team in the province since 1994, underlined the continuation of factional deployments with no regard to the capacity, expertise or executive experience of the deployed cadres.

The interests of the people of the North West once again had been put second to the interests of a small band of people who control the current dominant NW ANC faction.

This compromised the integrity and the status of the Legislature at the very start of its fifth term.

The promises of a clean North West Government and the turning-around of the North West Province made by the newly elected North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo, only days ago after being sworn in, can now be put into context: it is just as hollow as the promises made by the NW Premiers in the previous terms, designed only to pacify the suffering NW community while pursuing personal political ends.

Statement issued by Chris Hattingh, DA Leader in North West, May 29 2014

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