North West ANC expels 8 members, but some say punishment ‘did not fit the crimes’

The ANC in the North West has expelled eight members, including the provincial legislature’s chair of its portfolio committee on public works and transport, Mmoloki Cwaile, who is critical of corruption and poor service delivery by the ANC provincial government.

Some in the ANC see the expulsion of the eight as the harshest treatment yet meted out within the ANC, noting that it was unheard of for an MPL, especially a sitting portfolio committee chair, to be expelled for doing a great job to ensure the executive was held accountable.

‘Ulterior motives’

Concerned party members sympathised with Cwaile and his co-accused, saying the punishment “did not fit the crimes” they allegedly committed, which they said were minor.

But many believed that Cwaile’s expulsion was based on ulterior motives by the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) after he demanded North West premier Bushy Maape resign, accusing him of “sleeping on the job”.

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Cwaile also allegedly undermined ANC provincial chair Nono Maloyi, who is MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, by accusing him of having collapsed a R3.5 billion project in the province as an MEC. He did not mention the project.

Cwaile, who is from Greater Taung in the Dr Segomotsi Mompati district, did not mince his words about the premier.

“Like your current MEC for local government and traditional affairs, Nono Maloyi, who collapsed a R3.5 billion project, I’ve asked Maape to resign if he is unable to lead. He went to lie to people in Cape Town claiming we have proper roads. The man is sleeping on duty,” Cwaile said.

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Cwaile also offended the PEC by demanding that MEC for community safety and transport management, Sello Lehari, appear before legislature in less than a week to answer to alleged corruption in his department. Lehari is the ANC provincial treasurer.

Cwaile predicts exit

Last week, Cwaile, a former MEC for cooperative governance, predicted he would be fired from the party and indicated he would prefer his matter to be referred to the national disciplinary committee of the ANC.

He also threatened to get an external foundation to make a presentation to the legislature to expose massive corruption in the North West provincial government, Cwaile also claimed to have opened a criminal case against former ANC Youth League president Collen Maine for another collapsed housing project.

Cwaile is known for his strong stance against corruption stand and poor service delivery by the provincial administration.

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He took a vigorous approach during his oversight work in the provincial legislature against graft and laxity by the executive, which caused him to be disliked by some MECs, including Maloyi.

Cwaile has no holy cows and often publicly criticises fellow ANC comrades for alleged graft and poor service delivery in their departments. In his recent letter, the MPL expressed concern that the budgets of some provincial departments had to be returned to the National Treasury as they had not spent their allocations.

“Close to R1 billion was returned to National Treasury. The provincial departments wanted to lie by claiming that there was no money returned to National Treasury. In the department of education … money had to be returned to the Treasury,” he said.

ANC expels members

The verdict against seven of the eight expelled members is believed to be window-dressing as the real target was Cwaile. The verdict was announced yesterday by the party’s provincial disciplinary committee that was presided over by Prof Vuyo Peach.

Cwaile and Lesego Motlapele, Gontse Kock, Tshepo Khwenanyane, Mittah Chelechele, Tumisho Tlhole, Bafana Nebe and Stephen Moreki were expelled.

The charges were misconduct that involved putting the party into disrepute and contravention of the ANC constitution. But the charges appeared to have no real substance.

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In the verdict, there is no clear explanation of what exactly what they did, except for Cwaile, who was said to have put the ANC and its personnel into disrepute and contravened party rules. They were accused of working with a “counter-revolutionary” party outside of the ANC.

“All the charged members are expelled from the ANC permanently,” Peach said.

Peach said in August 2022, Cwaile usurped a delegate’s constitutional power in breach of ANC rules and prejudiced the function of the ANC credentials and accreditation subcommittee.

He showed no remorse and told the PDC he would not appear before it.

Written by Eric Naki and Kenneth Mokgatlhe

– ericn@citizen.co.za