Limpopo ANC councillor arrested twice in a month, faces calls for removal

A Limpopo ANC councillor serving at Elias Motsoaledi local municipality has been arrested twice in one month, leading to calls for by-elections in the area.

Tobias Malope from Roossenekal village in ward 30 near the mining town of Burgersfort, was elected on 11 December, 2024 during by-elections.

This was after EFF councillor Maleke Mampane was recalled amid allegations of incompetence and failing to fill a bus of supporters going to an EFF rally in Johannesburg last year.

Mampane’s dismissal resulted in the Electoral Commission of South Africa declaring a vacant post at the municipality and calling for by-elections.

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Legal woes

Malope was arrested less than a month after his election into office.

According to police spokesperson in Limpopo Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Thakeng, he was arrested on 9 January with seven others for alleged extortion.

He was accused of organising illegal protest marches to local mines, where he would demand undisclosed amounts of money from the mining bosses.

He first appeared in the Nebo Magistrate’s court on 13 January and was again arrested on similar charges on 26 January.

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Residents of Roossenekal, a poverty-stricken village, were hopeful Malope would solve some of their problems, including water shortages, roads with potholes and ungravelled roads.

The arrests also saw opposition parties criticising the ANC.

“How can it be business as usual when the councillor spends most of his time in police holding cells instead of delivering services to the people of Roossenekal?” said secretary-general of the Bolsheviks party Seun Mogotji.

“This begs the question of whether Malope was the right man for the job in the first place.”

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‘Abuse of power’

The DA also entered the fray. “More than 30 days have passed since Malope’s first arrest, yet the ANC has failed to suspend him.

“Once again, the ANC has chosen to stand with those who abuse their power.” said DA constituency head for Sekhukhune Nico Pienaar, who is also a member of the provincial legislature.

“The ANC has once again shown its true colours – not only enriching itself but protecting those who engage in corruption.”

In response, ANC regional secretary in Sekhukhune Tala Mathope said: “The ANC in Sekhukhune dismisses the claims by the DA in Limpopo that it does not prioritise accountability in its ranks.

“We are still busy with internal investigations to determine whether to invoke disciplinary measures against the councillor, or not.”

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