The big ANC shake-up - how it could affect our municipal politics

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) decision to dissolve the provincial
executive committee (PEC) in Limpopo could set the cat amongst the pigeons in both the Lephalale and Mogalakwena municipalities.
Both municipalities have seen turbulent political times since the last municipal elections where a clear rift emerged between Zuma loyalists and councillors throwing their weight behind the premier, Cassel Mathale.
Now councillors who affiliated themselves to Cassel Mathale’s support of Kgalema
Motlanthe at Mangaung last year might feel less certain of their own political futures.
The Mayor of Lephalale, Jack Maeko, is known to be a close ally of the Premier. Northern News tried on several occasions to speak to Maeko this week, but he could not be reached for comment. Clr. Johanna Mojela, a staunch Zuma supporter, had to relinquish her mayoral chain to Mayeko after some messy political wrangling at the beginning of last year.
In Mokopane, Esther Mothibi resigned as mayor after provincial leadership had to step in as she refused to fire corporate services manager, Henry Thobejane, after he was found guilty on several charges including dishonesty and misappropriation of funds.
Mothibi was, however part of the strong pro-Zuma faction in the Mogalakwena municipality that tried to sack municipal manager, William Kekana.
Kekana was the driving force behind the disciplinary action against Thobejane who happened to be a close ally to Mothibi and also Andries Lekalakala, secretary of the Waterberg ANC.
“Kekana could be in trouble now that Mathale is no longer a power to be reckoned with in the province,” said DA Councillor, Beyers Smit.
But according to Provincial spokesperson, Sipho Dikgala, the announcement does not affect regional and local ANC structures. Dikgala told Northern News that the disbandment of the PEC had nothing to do with factions within the ANC.
“The NEC felt the need to deal with problems that relates to ill-discipline within the provincial leadership.”
ANC branches in Limpopo will be briefed about the NEC’s decision at a meeting at the University of the North on Sunday. In the meantime an interim PEC will lead the province for the next 9 months until a new PEC can be elected at the next provincial conference.
Mathale will remain premier, but will no longer be the provincial ANC leader.