Zuma-supporting Free State ‘gangster’ mayor due to make a comeback – DA

In a statement on Friday, the DA claimed that the former mayor the struggling Maluti-a-Phofung municipality in the Free State may be making a comeback after having been voted out in June.

The party’s Leona Kleynhans said that the municipality has continued to be a “battleground between pro-Zuma and pro-Ramaphosa factions”, at the expense of service delivery.

The municipality was placed under administration in February as a result of the collapse of service delivery and the “looting of the municipal coffers” by what the party referred to as the “gangster mayor”, Vusi Tshabalala.

The administrators had to flee several times due to threats levelled at them from the Tshabalala faction, alleged Kleynhans.

“A motion of no confidence tabled in Tshabalala let loose chaos inside the council chamber. Four council meetings were disrupted. Pepper spray was released, the lights were turned off, guns were being cocked, and the SAPS public order policing unit had to disperse tear gas outside the municipal building. On each occasion that the vote could not take place, Tshabalala loudly celebrated with his supporters, claiming victory over the enemy,” said Kleynhans.

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“Eventually, after the DA on several occasions pleaded with DG Ralikonsane and MEC Khoabane to put an end to this anarchy during which Tshabalala was holding the elected council hostage, Tshabalala was forced to resign as mayor and councillor.”

During a council meeting in June, a new executive mayor, Gilbert Mokotso, was elected by several ANC councillors voting together with the opposition.

The Zuma faction’s candidate was thus defeated, said Kleynhans.

However, the Free State ANC provincial executive committee then announced that Mokotso, together with the ANC councillors who had voted for him, were to be suspended from the party.

“We have now been informed that the ANC is considering re-installing Tshabalala as a councillor in Maluti-a-Phofung. Should this happen, council will be dumped into chaos yet again.”

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