Warrant of arrest issued for ‘boozing’ Limpopo councillor

A Limpopo ANC councillor, who was arrested and charged with contravening the Disaster Management Act after she hosted a booze-fueled party during lockdown, is now wanted after she was involved in a serious car accident while allegedly drinking and driving.

Her second arrest during the lockdown period has prompted calls for her dismissal from opposition parties in Limpopo.

The Makhado municipality councillor, Tebogo Mamarobela was arrested for drunk driving in the early hours of Sunday morning, after she allegedly crashed her luxury bakkie into a fence and other vehicles on the road.

The Citizen understands that Mamarobela was warned to appear in court on Monday but apparently did not show up for her case.

In April this year, criminal charges were laid against her for violating lockdown regulations, after she was found to have hosted a birthday party for herself, where she was allegedly drinking alcohol publicly with friends and colleagues.

Photos of her party were posted on social media, despite lockdown regulations as set by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March this year.

Tebogo Mamorobela during her alleged party.

She appeared in court and was released on a R1,000 bail. The case is still pending. At the time of the incident, a special council sitting at the Makhado municipality suspended her from council, pending the hearing by the Ethics committee. She was also suspended from the Board of Trustees of Brand South Africa pending the outcome of an inquiry into her possible misconduct.

On Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance said it was preparing a letter to the chairperson of the Ethics Committee of the Makhado Municipality to request that Mamarobela’s hearing should be expedited so that she may permanently be removed from her position.

“The people of Makhado deserve councillors who uphold the law and who set a good example, not a serial offender who, whilst out on bail, commits a similar offence,” said DA caucus leader in the Makhado municipality, Cllr Brian Du Plooy in a statement.

Mayor for the Makhado municipality Samuel Munyai said the municipality had officially sanctioned investigations into the conduct of the councillor.

“If found that the councillor has indeed breached her code of conduct, we will haul her before the disciplinary hearing and report to the MEC for cooperative governance, Basikop Makamu for action in line with the recommendations of the disciplinary committee.

Responding to a request for comment, Mamorobela took exception to suggestions that she may have been under the influence during Sunday’s accident, saying she was at home, “nursing my wounds”.

She said” “it hurts me so much when all of you in the media call me and start asking questions about the accident. This is so because instead of asking me about how I feel, you want to know if I was drunk and driving or if I evaded going to court to answer about the accident. An accident is exactly that- an accident. It can happen to anyone. But what I can assure you is that I was not drunk during the accident. That is why I am here at home, nursing my wounds,” said the councilor.

She then switched tack, saying “Let me just say, no comment because I know you journalists, when we say this, you go and write something else to sell your newspapers,” said the councilor before hanging up.

– news@citizen.co.za

• This story was updated to add Mamorobela’s response to The Citizen’s enquiries about the incident.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.