By Masilo Malakwane
QWAQWA – The African National Congress (ANC) and the African Content Movement (ACM) have withdrawn their motions of no-confidence against Maluti-a-Phofung Executive Mayor Gilbert Mokotso, Speaker Paratlane Motloung and chief whip Moeketsi Lebesa, after lengthy caucus discussions.
The ANC lost the majority to retain control of municipality after last year’s local government elections.
The ANC caucus announced during Monday’s council proceedings that it was backing down on two key issues of the day by withdrawing their motions of no-confidence against the Speaker and the Council Whip. The ACM also withdrew its motion against the executive mayor. The two parties cited lengthy unfinished discussions with their respective partners.
Approached for comment, the ANC’s Mandlenkosi Dlamini accused the MAP16 leadership of going behind their back and approached their top structure for intervention.
“Indeed, we decided to withdraw the motions after lengthy discussion with our members. But we will communicate the way forward in due course,” Dlamini said.
However, sources close to the ANC, say directive to withdraw the motions came from the party’s provincial leadership which felt the motions had been submitted prematurely without proper prior engagement.
For his part, Map16 Coordinator, Azael Nhlapo rubbished the claims that they requested the ANC IPC to intervene and halt the motions.
“That’s a blatant lie. I must put it on record that none of our top structures went to Bloemfontein to seek the ANC’s intervention, none whatsoever,” Nhlapo insisted.
Meanwhile, coalition partners like the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa and the Economic Freedom Fighters have reiterated that the motions were always doomed to fail.
EFF Chitoka Mkhwanazi said: “The motions, within three months of the coalition assuming office, were driven by bitterness on the part of the ANC in MAP. They were given 27 years to govern and failed dismally; now they are hungry and want to debate motions against the coalition government,” Mkhwanazi countered.
DPSA leader Moeketsi Lebesa told this publication that “the only motions that will see the light of day are those tabled by the coalition partners, not the opposition”.
One Response
I for 1 believe that anc is bitter they now trying to take everything in front of them n use it against the coalition.. We as citizens must stand up against this kind of senseless & useless deeds..of the manipulators who always forgets that we voted for the better Maluti A Phofung. They must live us alone. Ke habo rona Mona.