Resign or face disciplinary action: ANCYL gives mayor ultimatum as motion of no confidence looms
· Citizen
Greater Tzaneen local municipality mayor Gerson Molapisane is facing fresh calls for his resignation, barely two weeks after both the ANC in Limpopo and the party’s regional structure in the Norman Mashabane region made similar demands.
The provincial ANC leadership had earlier taken a resolution for the mayor to vacate office for allegedly failing to bankroll ANC gigs, passing the message on to the party’s regional structure, led by acting chairperson Dagma Mamanyoha and regional secretary Sonia Ngobeni-Maswanganyi, to action. But Molapisane would not budge.
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ANC provincial secretary, Vhamusanda Reuben Madadzhe, visited the municipality during a special council sitting last Friday, but still, Molapisane stood defiant. He said he was appointed to the position only by the ANC national leadership at Luthuli House.
Now the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in the Norman Mashabane region has joined the calls for his resignation, adding that his conduct was “backward” and “shameful” and that the mayor is ill-disciplined.
“The mayor has arrogantly refused to comply with the decision of the ANC to redeploy him. His reckless and unacceptable conduct constitutes a direct attack on the principle of democratic centralism, which remains the cornerstone of unity, discipline and organisational coherence within the ANC,” said regional spokesperson Thabo Malatji.
‘A dangerous display of political ill-discipline’
He claimed Molapisane reflected tendencies of factionalism, entitlement and a counter-revolutionary posture.
“The ANC Youth League views this act as a betrayal of the trust bestowed upon the mayor by the movement. Deployment is neither a right nor a personal possession. It is a mandate of the ANC, subject to the organisation’s authority or strategic direction.
“To reject redeployment is tantamount to rejecting the ANC itself. What is unfolding in Greater Tzaneen is a dangerous display of political ill-discipline. As the youth of the ANC in this region, we refuse to be passive in the face of such arrogance.
“We refuse to inherit an organisation where leaders openly undermine the decisions of the party and face no consequences. This conduct sends a deeply damaging message to young cadres of the movement about accountability, loyalty and respect for collective leadership.”
He said the mayor must immediately submit to the organisation’s decision or face disciplinary action.
Not giving in to alleged corruption
Those close to Molapisane believe the calls are a witch-hunt, targeting him for not allowing the party to plunder state resources.
“Because he hates corruption with precision and distinction, he refused to use service delivery money to line up the pockets of a few ANC echelons,” said one of his allies, who asked for his name to be withheld.
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence was tabled against the mayor last week, but it was ruled unprocedural. It will now likely be heard at the next council sitting, set for 29 May.
ANC Limpopo spokesperson, Tonny Rachoene, said the process to put things in order at the Greater Tzaneen Municipality was right underway.
Rachoene said the provincial leadership of the ANC had met with the political leadership of both the municipality and the Norman Mashabane region, and agreed in principle with the processes that are still unfolding.
Rachoene, who is also a former Limpopo ANC Youth League chairperson, appealed for calm in the matter.