The African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo has called upon its members in the Sekhukhune region to stop working with opposition leaders to “defocus” Fetakgomo-Tubatse Mayor Eddie Maila on his service delivery efforts.
ANC provincial spokesperson Jimmy Machaka was responding to an African Times report that Sekhukhune district municipality councillor Sean Mogotji has been accused of accepting bribes from a Sekhukhune ANC faction that wants to replace Maila for factional and economic reasons.
This after, Mogotji, of the Bolsheviks Party SA, accused Maila of misusing public funds to buy himself a cushy fleet of BMWs that he uses for his official duties.
However, Fetakgomo-Tubatse municipality PR councillor Dumisa Madalane, who is the secretary of the Power of African Unity party in Limpopo, accused Mogotji of accepting bribes from ANC factions to tarnish Maila’s image. He also accused the Sekhukhune District Municipality Bolsheviks councillor of undermining the council’s intelligence by questioning its decision to approve the vehicles to further a personal vendetta against the mayor.
While Mogotji is considering legal action against Madalane, the ANC in the province said it was not aware of the anti-Maila plot, but strongly warned its members from participating in such campaigns.
“The ANC Limpopo distances itself from any representatives who align with opposition parties in order to weaken the mayor, its deployees, and leaders. In the event there are such representatives conniving with opposition, we call upon them to immediately desist from such conduct as it is not befitting the organisation.
“ANC representatives are further required not to align with opposition on matters which are not for mutual interests and not in the interest of the society. Representatives of the ANC at the municipal level have forums wherein they can raise their views, which is the Party Caucus. [They should] not approach opposition parties on matters they could just have raised internally,” said Machaka.
In dismissing Mogotji’s claims this week, Madalane alleged a plot by ANC members who were hell-bent on removing Maila.
Madalane added that some approached his party in the ANC to sabotage the mayor.
“Since they failed, they identified Mogotji, which is very shameful, because he also has a councillor who represents him in our council, meaning that this councillor was also involved in the decision to purchase the mayor’s vehicle,” he said.
Machaka said Madalane’s allegations were also concerning because he did not name the ANC structures that have launched the alleged campaign against the mayor.
He added that the ANC in Sekhukhune was united and stable, leaving the provincial leadership no choice but to treat such claims as unfounded rumours until Madalane produces evidence.
“This makes it very difficult to deal with the matter properly. ANC Limpopo reserves the right to supplement its response at a later date. That the party is accused of bribery to tarnish the image of its deployees is misleading, and far from the truth.
“If such exists, we are inviting the opposition party making such a claim to produce a piece of evidence to that effect. Should the evidence prove the correctness of the allegations, we will not hesitate to take action against such members and/or leaders,” Machaka said.
