Sol Plaatje Municipality faces unrest as civic groups demand MM's suspension

A special council meeting has been convened for Thursday at 10am, following a heated meeting with civic organisations at Sol Plaatje Municipality on September 2, who demanded the immediate suspension of the municipal manager, Thapelo Matlala. 

They believe that he should also be placed on special leave pending the outcome of the council meeting. 

Members of the Sol Plaatje Community Forum, Kimberley Action Group, Women Waging War against gender based violence and femicide (GBVF), Operation Fiela, Operation Wanya Tsotsi, Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Justice4All walked out of a meeting that was held with the ANC Chief Whip Martin White, Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor Martha Bartlett and Speaker Dipuo Peters on Tuesday, when they were advised that the necessary processes first needed to be followed and legal advice obtained. 

Peters indicated that the matter needed to be addressed by the council. 

“The mayor does not have the power to suspend the municipal manager. The authority rests with the council, but the mayor can play a significant role. Therefore, a special council meeting has been convened,” she advised.  

Tyres were set alight outside the municipality when a meeting that was held between Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor Martha Bartlett, the Speaker Dipuo Peters and the MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs and acting Premier Bentley Vass took longer than expected on Tuesday afternoon. 

Community members warned that there would be repercussions mimicking the actions taken where the former Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor, Mangaliso Matika, the former Municipal Manager Goolam Akharwaray and Chief Financial Officer Lydia Mahloko were removed from office following mass protests in 2018.

Civic groups urged for an investigation to be conducted into appointments, tenders and contracts made by the municipal manager, more especially where persons and companies from Limpopo and outside provinces had benefited. 

They called for him to be placed on special leave until a decision had been made by the council and threatened to physically remove him if no action was taken.