Only the availability of judicial officials to administer the oath on the way of ANC struggle veteran Raymond Motsepe became the newest member of the council in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality. The speaker of the council, Lucky Madiba, and municipal manager Lucky Fourie, confirmed Motsepe will fill the seat vacated by Pasture Maremo who died in a car accident in January. The first vacancy left by former chief whip Louis Diremelo, who now works full-time as the ANC’s provincial secretary in the North West, was filled by Victoria Makhaula during the last council meeting on 28 February. READ ALSO: ANC North…
Only the availability of judicial officials to administer the oath on the way of ANC struggle veteran Raymond Motsepe became the newest member of the council in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality.
The speaker of the council, Lucky Madiba, and municipal manager Lucky Fourie, confirmed Motsepe will fill the seat vacated by Pasture Maremo who died in a car accident in January.
The first vacancy left by former chief whip Louis Diremelo, who now works full-time as the ANC’s provincial secretary in the North West, was filled by Victoria Makhaula during the last council meeting on 28 February.
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“Yes, Morema has been replaced by Motsepe and we confirmed it with the party and the IEC (South African Electoral Commission),” Fourie said.
“I communicated with the provincial secretary of the party and the IEC who named Motsepe. We are just waiting for the availability of the judge and set a date for swearing in.
Motsepe’s confirmation comes amid rumors that ANC members in the province are trying to block the election.
Ramaphosa bond
Motsepe is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s brother-in-law.
He is the brother of business tycoon Patrice Motsepe, entrepreneur Bridget Motsepe-Radebe and his wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe-Ramaphosa.
Motsepe topped the original ANC PR list in Bojanala but was 18th in the final list sent to the IEC, ahead of the November 2021 local government elections.
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He is also a member of the provincial ANC Veterans League in the North West and is from the Bakgatla ba Mmakau royal family.
He is reportedly not a favorite of some top leaders in the province.
Some rejected his election to the Bojanala board, stating that he was not the right candidate to fill the position.
He suggested that a woman from Kgetlengrivier Local Municipality be selected for the seat as the area is not represented in the district council.
‘Any dispute’
But Fourie said he did not know of anyone other than Motsepe to fill the vacancy.
“I am not aware of any dispute regarding Motsepe’s registration as a councillor. I communicated with the party secretary and the IEC regarding Motsepe,” Fourie said.
Motsepe is seen as a threat by some who believe that his strong anti-corruption stance as former mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality could interfere with plans to access state resources.
He was praised for his decisive leadership at the provincial and local government levels and became the first Madibeng mayor to get a clean audit report from the auditor general.
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In the leadership of the municipality won many Vuna awards for excellence performance and credit for the successful hosting of the Soccer World Cup 2010 by the former Rustenburg local committee, of which he is a member.
Joe Nqunyefi, regional chairman of the ANC Veterans League in Bojanala, said Motsepe qualified for the seat not because he is an ANC veteran, but next on the list to fill the vacant seat.
“He is not forced to the position, we do not want to fight for the position, but he is on the list. He has experience in government and will help a lot in the municipality. He should be happy that he came,” said Nqunyefi.