Buthanerejoinsalready well-oiledANCmachine
Ward 10’s new councillor, Willie Lancelot Madikoto took an oath of service at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, after the ANC reclaimed the ward from the EFF after several years in a by-election victory last Wednesday.
Madikoto received 52.98% of the votes, accounting for the highest number out of 7 110 registered voters.Tuesday’s council meeting was his first to attend.The former ward councillor of ward 10, the EFF’s Jacob Seshoka resigned from the city council after criminal charges implicated him of being in possession of police arms and ammunition in December. Hours after he was sworn in, Madikoto and Peter Mokaba region chairperson John Mpe briefed members of the media at the city council.
Other regional executives were also part of the briefing. Among the questions raised by members of the media was whether the by-election victory could be attributed to former EFF provincial leader Jossey Buthane’s realignment with the ANC as one of several politicians with evident strongholds in the Seshego-Makgofe area.
“There had been long-standing discussions between the ANC’s provincial and regional bigwigs with Buthane about his reconciliation with the party. But the period before last week’s highly contested byelection in ward 10 and the anticipated general election was chosen to announce the move in order to achieve an intended objective,” said.
Buthane rejoined the ANC’s regional election team in the Peter Mokaba region, and returned with hundreds of people in the region, as announced during a rally in the city last month by party provincial secretary, Reuben Madazhe. Buthane was also seen in photos elsewhere in Vhembe this weekend in active election campaigns.
“We know where his abilities and talents lie and we knew we would need him and several others for the by-election, but because of time and space, we had to wait. One can do the wrong thing at the right time and fail at an intended objective,” Mpe explained. Mpe was, however, also stern in refuting allegations that the by-election victory could be ascribed solely to Buthane rejoining the party. “Jossey joined a team that was already oiled. No one possesses the monopoly or capacities to do this alone, as the ANC is a well-oiled machine with various capacities and talents,” he said.
In reaction, Buthane was quick to share these sentiments.“Once you create a victory for one person, you create a monster out of them,” he said and added that all members had different roles to play and would continue to do so even for the general election.