War rages on over council reshuffle

LIMPOPO: CALL TO REVERSE ‘POLITICAL PURGE’

Removal of four officials not on agenda during municipality’s virtual sitting.

The Limpopo ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) has allegedly ordered the party’s regional executive committee (REC) in the Vhembe region to reverse the contentious removal of four councillors in the Vhembe district municipality – but the REC has ignored the instruction.

The removal of Joe Chabane, Robert Magada, Samuel Magada and Ndivhuwo Radamba as members of the mayoral committee a fortnight ago raised the ire of the provincial leadership. But the REC, under executive mayor Dowelani Nenguda stood by its decision.

The controversial council reshuffle, which was branded as “a political purge” by some people ahead of the regional elective conference, has divided the council and the ANC in the region and in the province into two factions.

The region was supposed to host its elective conference between 29 and 31 May, but the conference was postponed indefinitely because of the lockdown.

“We have told them the move to reshuffle the four councillors was dangerous, ill-formed and divisive as it had the potential to divide the organisation for good. We also told them that the decision must be reversed,” said a PEC source.

ANC provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said the party was going to write to the REC to communicate the PEC’s decision in line with the meeting between the two structures.

The reshuffle was not on the agenda during the district municipality council’s virtual sitting on Monday.

The sitting only discussed the adoption of the 2020-2021 budget and the adoption of the municipality’s Infrastructure Development Plan.

The reversal of the reshuffle was not on the agenda.

During an interview last week, Nenguda said he had consulted on the reshuffle and would not change his mind.

“I don’t have any regret because the reshuffling was precipitated by the need to enhance the rate of service delivery,” said Nenguda. “Moreover, I have executive powers to take any decision, as long as it is in the best interest of my people,” he said.

ANC regional chairperson Tshitereke Matibe said the region was not in defiance of the PEC’s decision.