Limpopo councillor charged for lockdown birthday bash

A Limpopo ANC ward councillor is in hot water with the law and her municipal council after she contravened the Disaster Management Act by throwing a birthday bash with friends, colleagues, and prominent businesspeople on Tuesday.

The Makhado Municipality councillor, Tebogo Mamorobela, apparently couldn’t resist the temptation to pop some bubbly, despite the lockdown meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus which has already killed thousands worldwide, and which extends till the end of April in SA.

This led to her organising a bash to celebrate her birthday with friends, fellow comrades and local businesspeople, who allegedly also helped to bankroll the celebration.

On Wednesday morning, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo popped Mamorobela’s bubbles by laying charges against her at the Makhado Police Station for violating the lockdown regulations.

“We are in possession of a video clip clearly showing the ANC councillor violating the regulations by hosting a birthday bash for herself. In the video, Mamarobela can be seen celebrating her 39th birthday with a Makhado businessman and friends,” said DA Limpopo provincial leader and Member of the Limpopo Legislature (MPL) Jacques Smalle.

“We have handed a copy of the video over to the SAPS as evidence. We have decided to lay the charges after Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams’ sanction clearly showed that the ANC will not discipline their own members in accordance with the seriousness of the offence committed. Furthermore, the DA harbours the belief that no one is above the law and the lockdown regulations are there to save lives and must be taken seriously,” added Smalle.

“We further call upon Councillor Mamorobela to publicly apologise for her wayward behavior because we view Covid-19 as a serious enemy of the country and the world at large, and that anything that compromises the lives of our people in society should be dealt with with the seriousness it deserves,” said Smalle.

Makhado Municipality Mayor Samuel Munyai said the municipality was disappointed in the councillor’s behaviour.

“Her alleged actions have brought nothing but embarrassment to the municipality and to the people of Limpopo at large. It is a known fact that the Makhado municipality does not tolerate mediocrity, embarrassment and misbehaviour. We are only waiting for the official briefing on the matter to take action. But it must be borne in mind that no councillor, me included, is above the law,” he said.

Mamorobela couldn’t comment on the matter, simply saying that she was “at the police station with the police, dealing with the matter”.

alexm@citizen.co.za

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