Face-off over ANC bad apples
THE CITY of Joburg was set for a showdown this morning as the DA tries to remove two ANC councillors – Leepile Motsumi, who was arrested for corruption, and Mpho Sesedinyane, who was convicted of assault by the Protea Magistrate’s Court this month.
Both continue to draw salaries. But the ANC said the assault matter was still sub judice as the councillor had not been sentenced.
Sesedinyane was found guilty of common assault in early November by the Protea Magistrate’s Court after he was involved in a fight in February last year, which turned physical, between ANC members over who should be elected as ward candidates for the municipal elections in August 2016.
Reacting to the motion due to be heard this morning, the ANC’s Joburg regional spokesperson, Jolidee Matongo, said once the councillor implicated had been sentenced and all the court processes exhausted, the ANC would act in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Systems and Structures Act as well as its constitution and code of conduct.
Motsumi was arrested by the Hawks, working together with the city’s group forensic and investigation service department, for the illegal sale of two city-owned property stands. The stands were sold for a total of R210 000.
“We dismissed this councillor of ward 92 and there remains a vacancy in this ward. We await a date from the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) for the by-elections in ward 92,” he said, adding that the latter was still receiving a salary “only until the end of this month”.
He said the party had been “late” in submitting the request to the council asking the city to stop his salary.
City Speaker Vasco da Gama said he had received a notice of the ANC’s intention to stop the motion to dismiss the two councillors.
“This is despite the ANC’s recent commitment to fighting corruption within the city and ensuring their councillors adhere to our ethical standards.
“The ANC cannot claim to be committed to fighting corruption while seeking to conceal corruption within their ranks at the same time.
“This is not the first time the conduct of ANC councillors has been brought into question,” he said, adding that both men were still receiving their salaries.