ANC acts swiftly in Mothutlung water crisis ahead of elections

A shortage of water prompted the mass protest that led to four people losing their lives in Madibeng. Now the ANC has axed key officials in the municipality. Image: Osa Water Works

This is a rare move as the ANC has established a track record of not acting in the perennially troubled and poorly managed municipality. It has previously ignored ministerial calls for the finalisation of investigations into financial mismanagement and criminality in the council.

The removal of mayor Poppy Magongwa was uncharacteristically swift as senior political appointees rarely take the fall when community frustration spills out into the streets.

She resigned "with immediate effect", Madibeng local municipality speaker Buti Makhongela said at the opening address of the special sitting in Brits. Soon thereafter Makhongela announced his own resignation.

The third official the party sacked is Solly Malete, who had been the chief whip in the Madibeng council.

Magongwa was not in the council chambers when her resignation was announced. Tshidi Mangoathe was elected acting mayor.

It is likely the instruction came from the ANC's top structure, the national working committee, after it weighed in on the fallout of the water crisis protest, expressing regret over the loss of life while promising "stern action against the relevant authorities".

The move comes months before the national elections, set to provide the toughest test yet for the ANC's dominance of the national political landscape. The North West is of particular concern for the party because of the continuing political and labour instability in the province.

Madibeng is in the platinum belt, which is set to be the scene of strikes at all three major platinum producers this week by members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union.

The union is demanding an increase in the minimum wage for mine workers to R12,500 a month.

A task team that former co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Richard Baloyi appointed last year recommended that senior municipal managers and councillors be disciplined for financial mismanagement. The report added that criminal charges should be considered.

The ANC national working committee said that if the report had been implemented, the service delivery protest and the unfortunate loss of life would have been averted.

ANC North West provincial secretary Dakota Legoete said the party would soon begin consultations to explain to communities what steps it had taken to stabilise the municipality.

Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge