Suspended Welkom mayor causes more anger after ‘leave of absence’ letter leaks

A leaked letter written by Matjhabeng (Welkom) mayor Nkosinjani Speelman to his own office has provoked uproar in some quarters as it suggests Speelman took a self-imposed leave of absence from government, presumably with pay, after being suspended by the ANC in the Free State.

ANC spokesperson in the province Thabo Meeko, however, explained the public needed to understand the division between party and state in South Africa; although the ANC had been within its rights to suspend Speelman and subject him to a disciplinary process, municipal processes needed to be followed according to the relevant laws.

Earlier this month, Speelman apologised for a racially offensive word he had used during an address to soldiers in his city after the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed to assist in enforcing lockdown regulations.

Speelman accused coloured people in Bronville of, among other things, being drunkards and going on to the streets in violation of lockdown. Most controversially, he used the term “boesman” to describe them and called on the SANDF to “skop” and “donner” anyone not observing lockdown regulations.

In his apology, Speelman said: “It was not undermining you – it was just out of [a] mistake. So I want to apologise to everybody from Bronville, in particular the coloured people.”

He continued: “I was not saying it in a bad spirit; it was just a slip of the tongue – to say that these people are giving us a problem … I am humble, [I] feel so sorry for what I have said.”

The Free State ANC said earlier this month confirmed Speelman was suspended.

Meeko said officials of the ANC had met and considered the issue “about the unfortunate racist and regrettable utterances”.

The officials decided to temporarily suspend Speelman as both a member of the ANC and a public representative in line with the ANC’s constitution.

In a letter to his own office, Speelman applies to be granted a leave of absence from 8 April to 30 April and appoints councillor SD Manese to act in his place.

Meeko said on Sunday: “The disciplinary matter must run its course and the right outcome must be reached.”

If the mayor’s case had not been finalised by the end of April, it was likely his leave would be extended, added the spokesperson.

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte told talk radio 702 this month: “It is important that people understand that he did not speak for the ANC and not in our name when he made those remarks.”

SA Human Rights Commissioner in the province Thabang Kheswa said they had received a number of complaints about Speelman.

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) said on Sunday they had been among those who lodged complaints.

The leader of the PA, Gayton McKenzie, told The Citizen that after he saw the leaked letter he was disturbed that the Free State ANC might be trying to organise a soft landing for the controversial mayor, who has been described as being close to former Free State premier and now ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

McKenzie said he and his party would not rest until Speelman had been “run out of town, all the way to Timbuktu if we have to”.

Added McKenzie: “All these parties, including the ANC, chase the ‘coloured vote’ whenever it’s election time. Then it’s every kind of promise. But when it’s lockdown, then the ‘boesmans’ need to be dondered. They want your cross during elections, and then they want to put you under a cross during the lockdown.

“We won’t stand for it.”

Mayor Speelman’s leave of absence letter.

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