Infighting costs ANC mayoral seat to DA

Constant squabbles and divisions among ANC council members resulted in the ruling party being dealt a heavy blow after losing a mayoral seat to the DA at the Lephalale local municipality in Limpopo on Thursday.

The ANC’s lengthy struggle to replace its former mayor Alpheus Thulare with its preferred candidate, Aaron Mokgehle, ended with DA councillor Nico Pienaar, 33, winning the seat after three ANC councillors voted against their own party. 

This follows months of strife with the ANC in the province trying to get rid of Thulare, who it said had been appointed an interim mayor, while he refused to resign.  

Yesterday Pienaar welcomed the win, saying council was tired of watching ANC members fight among themselves, while slowing down progress. He said this week there had been two meetings where none of the agendas could be discussed due to ongoing disagreements.

"The last week was chaotic. We had eight-hour meetings where not one item was discussed. We felt that at the end the residents of Lephalale were suffering and the DA can bring change to the lives of residents,” Pienaar said.

Pienaar, who was born and bred in Lephalale, joined the DA during his days as a university student in 2009 and rose up the ranks until he became a councillor in 2016. “I’m going to make sure that my term is known for one thing, and that is service delivery,” he said.

ANC provincial spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the party would decide on the best course of action after being defied by its own members.  

“Some have not appreciated the fact that they are not representing themselves but they are representing the party that has deployed them to the positions of responsibility,” he said.

Machaka said they had hoped to see Mokgehle getting elected as mayor as he was regarded as a capable leader within the organisation.

ANC Waterberg regional secretary Rufus Mogoro said the party was disappointed with the blatant disobedience of its councillors who had opted to vote with the opposition.

“They have disregarded the party line. Disciplinary measures will be taken against them.”

He said councillors who are disgruntled about Thulare’s removal tried to disrupt proceedings and had to be removed by the speaker. Those who were left in chambers proceeded to vote, but it seems three of the ANC councillors who remained were also Thulare’s supporters.

Thulare was suspended as a member of the party and recently resigned from the position after losing a court battle to stop the ANC from axing him.  

He stepped down after his case before the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria was dismissed over a week ago, giving the ANC an opportunity to install its preferred candidate. The party had named Mokgehle as its preferred candidate for the position.

This is not the first time the ANC has lost a mayoral seat to the DA in the province. In 2016 Marlene van Staden was voted mayor for the Modimolle-Mookgophong local municipality and she was elected mayor for the second time last year. – mahopoz@sowetan.co.za