Ga-Masemola community wants three ward councilors removed

Ga-Masemola

Residents of Ga-Masemola Village in Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality want their three councilors removed. The community, leaded by Reatiba Concerned Group, demands the ANC in Sekhukhune Region to remove Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM) Ward 27 Cllr Permit Pitso, Ward 28 Cllr Makatose Eric Mosoane and Ward 29 Cllr Kholofelo Kgatuke.

They accuse the councilors of failing to address poor service delivery complaints, mainly, the shortage of drinkable water.

Ga-Masemola Village is one of the areas in Sekhukhune that are hit hard by water shortages, subjecting the community to turn to nearest rivers to share drinking water with wild and domestic animals.

Reatiba Chairperson, Louis Nchabeleng, said they want the ward councilors out because they are failing to convene community meetings to discuss poor service delivery challenges to the people who elected them.

“Their administration is failing the community. They are failing to provide reports on service delivery issues affecting residents. We are tired and want them to be removed,” he said.

Nchabeleng indicated that they directed a letter to ANC Sekhukhune Regional Secretary Tala Mathope, seeking a meeting in which the councilors’ incompetency will be discussed.

“However, the meeting collapsed because only Mathope was present and the mayor of Makhuduthamaga together with the speaker could not attend the meeting. We also demand their presence because this is an official meeting that requires the availability of senior structure deployees of the ANC in the region,” he said.

Nchabeleng said they want the ANC step-aside rule to apply against the three councilors because they all have criminal charges levelled against them. He said the charges includes among others intimidation and crimen injuria where they even insulted community members who elected them into the council.

“The councilors have been ignoring all our pleas when we call them to attend community meetings so that we can raise our concerns. The only thing we demand from the ANC is their removal, that’s all we want. We want the step-aside rule to apply like to any other ANC members who violated the party’s laws,” he said.

Sam Uwane, ANC Spokesperson in Sekhukhune Region, said issues of removal of councilors haven’t been raised with the party yet.

“However, a meeting was convened with the same group and it was realized during the meeting that there is a case opened against the same group. Some matters raised are interlinked and we may interfere on matters that are handled by law enforcement,” he said.