Mayor ousted in recall vote

ANCYL president Julius Malema's ally, executive mayor Kgotso Motloung, has been fired by the council of Gert Sibande municipality in Mpumalanga.

The decision to oust Motloung was taken at a special council meeting on Wednesday night following findings by a special council committee that was appointed by the municipality to investigate allegations of illegal interference in the administration and management of the municipality.

The committee concluded that Motloung undermined the municipal manager by interfering in tender processes. According to the committee Motloung cancelled contracts and this exposed the municipality to severe financial problems.

In light of these findings the committee concluded that Motloung and his mayoral committee were not fit to hold office.

The special committee was chaired by Lucky Nkosi, a practicing attorney in Newcastle, and he was assisted by four ANC councillors and DA councilor Len Joubert.

Motloung said: "There are comrades in the region who are unhappy that I contested during the regional conference last year. The decision to pass a vote of no confidence in me was driven by politics; it has nothing to do with governance."

Provincial ANC spokesman Paul Mbenyane said the province had never discussed Motloung's recall.

"The region can only make recommendations to the PEC (provincial executive committee)," Mbenyane said.

"We were unaware of their move and we only heard about it on the radio. We are waiting for a full report from them."