Supra will be recalled today, says source

The ANC is expected to officially announce the recall of North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, and probably as early as Thursday, a reliable ANC source has said.

Luthuli House will also most likely disband Mahumapelo’s ANC provincial executive committee and replace it with an interim provincial task team that will organise for the election of a new PEC.

This after the party took a decision to remove the ANC provincial strongman to avert further destruction of property by angry residents who have been protesting in provincial capital Mahikeng and surroundings, demanding service delivery and Mahumapelo’s resignation. The PEC that is facing the axe has strongly supported the controversial leader and many of them vowed to turn the province into a bloodbath should their chief be removed.

Things came to a head when fresh reports emerged that Mahumapelo was showered with gifts, money and sponsorship for his personal lifestyle by an agriculture consultancy firm, Agri Delight.

Earlier, the Sunday Times reported that he diverted 50 cattle earmarked to empower poor black farmers to former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla rural homestead. It further emerged that only 25 cows reached Nkandla while the whereabouts of the rest remained unknown. Neither Zuma nor Mahumapelo were able to account for the 50 animals, worth about R1.5 million.

The Hawks are said to be investigating the two for fraud.

According to the source, the decision to recall Mahumapelo was made following feedback from a Cabinet task team led by Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, which visited North West on Wednesday to probe the situation in the province. The team met different structures.

“It was felt that nothing else could end the current violence in North West except to recall Supra. For Cyril to be an effective leader he has to make unpopular decisions about corruption, whether it’s true or perceived,” the source said.

Ramaphosa has received sufficient information to conclude that Mahumapelo has to go, he added.

The ANC national working committee (NWC) is now convinced that Mahumapelo is central to most problems in North West and his continued stay in power will only worsen the situation.

Those who complained about him were not only his known opponents in the province but also members of the tripartite alliance: the SA Communist Party, labour federation Cosatu and Sanco.

Trade union Nehawu had been on a two-month strike in North West demanding bonuses, permanent hiring of community health workers, better working conditions and for Mahumapelo to step down.

If recalled, Mahumapelo will be the first ANC premier to be axed since the Nasrec ANC national elective conference in December.

Ramaphosa had been treading carefully since he was elected as ANC  President at Nasrec, to avoid alienating Zuma followers such as Mahumapelo.

The NWC, which took the recall decision, is constituted of the party’s top six officials, one member each from the ANC leagues and a few invited directly elected NEC members.

– ericn@citizen.co.za