In Boikhutso township in Lichtenburg, North West, sewage runs down the streets and tons of black plastic bags line the streets where refuse has not been collected for months.
The provision of services has ground to a halt as ANC factions fight for control of Ditsobotla local municipality. The town has two mayors, Tsholofelo Moreo and Tebogo Buthelezi, from warring factions.
Buthelezi was removed by the council through a vote of no confidence, reinstated by a court, then removed by the ANC caucus through another motion of no confidence, whereafter Moreo was reinstated again.
The situation is the same in the neighbouring towns of Disaneng in Ratlou municipality and Delareyville in Tswaing municipality, both of which fall under Ngaka Modiri district municipality.
The instability in these three municipalities was highlighted in a draft oversight report of the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), which visited several North West municipalities this month.
In Tswaing, mayor Dimakatso Malwane was voted out of office in June 2020, won reinstatement, was voted out again, and replaced when Olaotswe Makalela was elected in her place.
First National Bank has suspended Tswaing’s bank account because of confusion over which of the two mayors has legitimate access to funds.
The town also has two municipal managers and two municipal speakers.
In Ratlou, mayor Mamoitsadi Phaedi was removed during a virtual council meeting in January, was replaced by Segametsi Ntladi, then won reinstatement, but lost when the council appealed.
When the committee visited the town, Phaedi and Ntladi both attended the meeting, claiming to be the legitimate mayor.
Sources in Ratlou said changes in councils were the result of ANC factional politics.
[Image: Babak Fakhamzadeh]