ANC members called for the removal of the mayor for being “anti-ANC, supreme, malicious and untouchable”.
MAYORAL committee members are calling for a motion of no confidence to be brought against Sol Plaatje executive mayor Patrick Mabilo, after he requested the MEC for the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghtsa) to extend the contracts of the acting municipal manager and acting chief financial officer (CFO) at Sol Plaatje Municipality, over the lockdown period.
Mabilo was this week instructed by the ANC region to rescind the decision to extend their contracts for another three months.
Council sittings may not convene during the lockdown period.
The contracts of the acting officials would have ended on April 16. ANC members pointed out that an official could not act in a position for six months.
ANC regional members also accused Mabilo of undermining and not consulting with the ANC caucus, ANC chief whip, other political chief whips, the Speaker, mayoral committee or council before this decision was taken and of acting without a mandate.
ANC members called for the removal of the mayor for being “anti-ANC, supreme, malicious and untouchable”.
They insisted that Boy Dhlwayo and Kenneth Samolapo be appointed instead as acting municipal manager and acting CFO.
Other municipal officials believed that it was improper for politicians to interfere in the administration of the municipality.
The spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Xhanti Teki, confirmed yesterday that the MEC for Coghsta, Bentley Vass, had extended the acting contracts of the municipal manager and CFO.
“Coghsta is a government department with a mandate of provision of sustainable human settlements and ensuring that municipalities operate effectively and efficiently. We unfortunately cannot comment on intra-party politics relating to mandates that find expression between councillors and their political parties,” said Teki.
ANC Frances Baard region spokesperson Tshepo Louw distanced the region from the matter. “All these issues are related to the municipality of Sol Plaatje. Please contact them as they will be in a position to respond.”
He did not indicate if the region would motivate for the removal of the mayor or whether they had made any recommendations for officials to replace the acting municipal manager or CFO.
The Office of the Mayor did not respond to media enquiries.
