ANC on notice to remove illegal North West councillors

Officials from the ANC’s provincial list committee (PLC) in North West want Luthuli House to implement the Kgalema Motlanthe report findings on electoral irregularities instead of investigating the same issue again.

Motlanthe electoral report

The PLC members, led by ANC struggle veterans and stalwarts, demanded the Motlanthe committee report should be implemented and no time and resources should be wasted to start another investigation.

The PLC declined an invitation to talk from Luthuli House’s newly appointed investigative team, chaired by ANC NEC member Dina Pule, which was investigating the same issue.

ALSO READ: Investigation: North West ANC councillors face music

“The PLC rejected the meeting with Dina as they see it as unlawful,” said a PLC member who asked to remain anonymous.

“We want the full report implemented as per the authority bestowed upon us by the 54th National Elective Conference or no deal…”

2021 municipal polls

Motlanthe and the PLC were tasked with investigating the tampering that occurred with the list of ANC candidates submitted to the Electoral Commission prior to the 3 November 2021 local government elections.

It was alleged that the names of some politically connected individuals were smuggled onto the lists, while those nominated democratically by communities were removed.

The parachuted councillors, as they were now called, had become councillors, while the legitimate ones were out in the cold.

The matter was challenged successfully in the North West High Court in Mafikeng but the ANC has yet to remove the illegal councillors from their seats.

Motlanthe and the PLC identified 155 parachuted councillors. But the late former secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, later mentioned a figure of 110 and acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile identified 76.

Fikile Mbalula, as the new secretary-general, spoke about 95, while Pule in her investigation used a figure of 26.

It is believed that the illegal councillors were brought on the list by top ANC leaders, who included Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, MECs and mayors.

ANC NEC didn’t oppose report

The Motlanthe report has since been adopted by the national executive committee (NEC) but never implemented.

According to the PLC member, nobody objected to the report.

“They all know we are right. Not even one councillor, MP or minister implicated contested our report, so why not implement it,” the PLC member asked.

In April, Mbalula ordered the report to be implemented, saying the illegal councillors would be removed. Luthuli House initially ignored the complaints but the affected communities threatened not to vote for the ANC in the 2024 election.

Some legitimate councillors had succeeded to challenge their removal from the list in court.

NOW READ: North West ANC: List committee vows to stop ‘electoral thuggery’