Moyahabo Mabeba
LIMPOPO – THE recent recalling of Tlhalefi Mashamaite and Serite Sekgoloane, respectively of the embattled Mogalakwena and Blouberg Municipalities were met with mixed reactions from opposition parties.
Explaining the recalling of the two mayors, ANC provincial secretary, Nock Seabi, said the decision to recall Mashamaite and Sekgoloane “was part of the ANC’s continued efforts to strengthen municipal capacity for improved service delivery. These comrades will remain as councillors in their respective municipalities”.
The Mogalakwena Municipality has been plagued by political infighting and court battles since early last year, with two ANC factions fighting over who should run the municipality.
United Democratic Movement councillor in Mogalakwena, Motlatjo Selomo, said the recalling of Mashamaite was long overdue.
“Service delivery in Mogalakwena has come to a standstill under Mashamaite’s maladministration,” he said.
Abel Sekwala of the Azanian People’s Organisation shared Selomo’s sentiments. “Mashamaite should have been axed long ago when the damning KPMG forensic audit report confirmed that he was not fit to run the municipality,” Sekwala said.
At the Blouberg Municipality, the opposition parties, namely the African Christian Democratic Party, Democratic Alliance and Congress of the People, said: “the axing of Sekgoloane was a politically motivated decision.
“Sekgoloane was a competent leader as this can be justified by the unqualified audit report we received”.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Limpopo convener, Mike Mathebe, said they had noted without surprise the dismissal of the two mayors.
“The EFF has over time been calling for the removal of the Mogalakwena mayor who has been at the centre of corruption in that municipality.
“This was also pointed out by KPMG and the AG, but the ANC failed to act because he was part of a faction within the ruling party; he was protected and overstayed his welcome.
“The community of Mogalakwena suffered dearly during his period in office. We suspect this late action by the ANC is damage control because they are aware that they have a mountain to climb in the 2016 local government elections.
“We hope that the ruling party will act with speed on municipalities that are a haven of corruption as outlined in the AG’s findings.
“We therefore call on the cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC to initiate mechanisms to recoup all the money that was unlawfully spent.”
DA: ‘Recall is nothing but political means to comfort the people’
‘I am very happy about the ANC’s decision as they are my organisation’ – Mashamaite
