No dispute for Ramaphosa’s brother-in-law to become councillor in Bojanala district – ANC

Only the availability of a judicial officer to conduct his swearing-in stands in the way of ANC struggle veteran Raymond Motsepe becoming the latest member of the council at Bojanala Platinum District Municipality.

Both the council speaker, Lucky Madiba, and municipal manager Lucky Fourie, confirmed Motsepe will fill the seat left by Pasture Maremo who died in a car accident in January.

The first vacancy left by former chief whip Louis Diremelo, who now works full-time as ANC provincial secretary in the North West, was filled by Victoria Makhaula during the last council meeting on 28 February.

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“Yes, Morema has been replaced by Motsepe and we confirmed this with his party and the IEC (Electoral Commission of South Africa),” Fourie said.

“I communicated with the provincial secretary of the party and the IEC which gave us Motsepe’s name. We are just waiting for the magistrate’s availability and we set a date for the swearing-in.”

Motsepe’s confirmation came amid rumours that fellow ANC members in the province were attempting to block his election.

Ramaphosa ties

Motsepe is a brother-in-law of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

He is the brother of business tycoon Patrice Motsepe, businesswoman Bridget Motsepe-Radebe and Ramaphosa’s wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe-Ramaphosa.

Motsepe topped the original ANC PR list in Bojanala but was number 18 on the final list submitted to the IEC, prior to the November 2021 local government elections.

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He is also a member of the provincial ANC Veteran’s League in North West and is from the Bakgatla ba Mmakau royal family.

He was reportedly not a favourite of some of the top leaders in the province.

Some resisted his election to the Bojanala council, suggesting that he was not the right candidate to fill the position.

They suggested that a woman from Kgetlengrivier Local Municipality be selected for the seat because the area was not represented in the district council.

‘Any dispute’

But Fourie said he was not aware of any other person other than Motsepe to fill the vacancy.

“I am not aware of any dispute regarding the registration of Motsepe as a councillor. I communicated with the secretary of his party and the IEC about Motsepe,” Fourie said.

Motsepe was allegedly seen as a threat by some who believed his strong anti-corruption stand as former mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality could derail their plans to access state resources.

He was praised for his stern leadership in the provincial and local government levels and was the first Madibeng mayor to get a clean audit report from the auditor-general.

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Under his leadership the municipality won many Vuna awards for performance of excellence and was credited for the successful hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup by the former Rustenburg local organising committee, of which he was a member.

Joe Nqunyefi, ANC Veteran’s League regional chair in Bojanala, said Motsepe qualified for the seat not because he was an ANC veteran, but he was next on the list to fill the vacant seat.

“He is not forced by us into the position, we don’t want to fight for the position but he was next on the list. He is experienced in governance and is going to help them a lot in the municipality. They should be happy that he is coming,” Nqunyefi said.