ANC Vhembe deadline drama: No names for new mayor 

The ANC in the Vhembe region of Limpopo has missed the deadline to submit three names for the selection and appointment of a new mayor for Collins Chabane local municipality – and the party provincial leadership are displeased.

Yesterday, the Limpopo ANC said it was flabbergasted that the region had failed to meet the deadline.

“The ANC in Limpopo can confirm that the time has lapsed for the submission of three names relating to the Collins Chabane municipality as well as the Sekhukhune district municipality for the positions of mayors,” Limpopo ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said yesterday.

Machaka said the regional executive committees (REC) for the two regions was directed by the PEC to submit three names for the respective councils for consideration.

The regions were given until the weekend of June 16 to submit the names. The Citizen can confirm that only the Sekhukhune region managed to submit three names a few days after the deadline.

“I can confirm that the leadership of the ANC in the Sekhukhune region has submitted the three names with regard to the Sekhukhune district municipality.

“However, the same cannot be said about the leadership of the Vhembe region. Reasons behind their inaction is unknown,” he said.

Machaka said the ANC in Vhembe had earlier asked for an extension, citing issues around branch general meetings. He said the request was granted.

“But the time has since lapsed and we expected them to have sent the names.”

Machaka said the ANC in Limpopo had planned to hold an ANC provincial working committee (PWC) and PEC meetings last week.

Unfortunately, he said, due to the death of the wife of provincial chair Stanley Mathabatha, those meetings were deferred.

“In due course, both the PWC and the PEC will hold their meetings.

“Among many other important things, they will discuss the political and organisational state of the ANC in Limpopo as well as governance issues affecting the province and various municipalities in the province.”

Machaka said if during the two upcoming meetings the leadership of the ANC in Vhembe has not yet submitted the three names relating to Collins Chabane municipality, the PEC will consider the matter and take and appropriate decision so as not to delay service delivery.

A brouhaha emerged over the three names submitted to the PEC by the REC of Sekhukhune.

The names are acting party regional chair Minah Bahula, who is also mayor of the Makhuduthamaga local municipality, speaker of the Sekhukhune district municipality Kgwedi Ebotse Chego and MMC responsible for planning in the Sekhukhune district municipality, Bathsheba Leshabane.

Both the South African Communist Party and the ANC Veterans’ League have since shared their dissatisfaction with the list.

The two organisations said some of the names were VBS-tainted ANC leaders, allegedly responsible for collapsing VBS Mutual Bank through the illicit investment of municipal funds in the bank amounting to over R1.5 billion.

The two called on the ANC to desist from appointing anyone who had previously invested municipal funds into the bank, saying this would be in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.

Contacted for comment, the ANC in the Vhembe region said it was still waiting for the REC to convene and agree on the three names.

“We cannot say we have missed the deadline. But we are working on the matter,” said ANC Vhembe regional spokesperson Gumani Mukwevho yesterday.