Their views follow the resignation of Mayor Itumeleng Lethoko of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), who tendered her resignation a few hours after being elected. She resigned after the ANC tabled the appointment of the new municipal manager.

SABC News reports that according to the the PA, the ANC never discussed the issue with them during the coalition negotiations.

Residents say there are no services rendered to them in Ditsobotla, which covers the towns of Lichtenburg, Coligny and Biesiesvlei.  

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"We will continue to have other problems for the next 28 years, the ANC has been in power in Ditsobotla, nothing has changed until today."

Meanwhile, political parties that formed the coalition with the ANC and PA say the mayor did not consult them before tendering her resignation.

The president of Forum 4 Service Delivery, Mbahare Kekana, says they are disappointed in the PA for resigning without talking to them.

"That is their right. What we cannot afford is to have another re-run. What we cannot afford is to have other by-elections in Ditsobotla. As Forum 4 Service Delivery, we can confirm the election of a new mayor."

The spokesperson of the African Heart Congress, Godfrey Maebela, says they were also not part of the negotiation.

ALSO READ: Resignation of Ditsobotla mayor questioned

"First, I wish to correct the narrative that we are in agreement or that we did speak with the Patriotic Alliance, as Kenny Kunene said on TV, concerning their withdrawal and the mayor’s resignation. We are also caught in the dark; we were not part of the negotiation or whatsoever."

The deputy secretary of the EFF, Justice Dabampe, says they reject with contempt the attempt to appoint an acting municipal manager for Ditsobotla.

"This unilateral decision by the ANC without council is a serious contravention of the standing rules and orders of Ditsobotla."

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the ANC, Tumelo Maruping, accuses the PA of taking an emotional decision.

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He says, "The MEC of Cogta was very clear to say the secondment was until the council got constituted. We have no idea what the misunderstanding is all about; however, the ANC is currently meeting with the Patriotic Alliance. We will make sure that we find one another and clarify this matter to them because it happened very fast and we could not discuss this issue with them."

However, the deputy president of the PA, Kenny Kunene, says they will not enter into coalition talks with the ANC in the province again.

"We wash our hands off the ANC in the North West at this particular moment. Maybe in the future, the action that we are taking now will be able to teach them that when we say we want clean government, when we say we want to follow processes as per our discussion, we are serious about that."

A date for the special council sitting to elect the new mayor is yet to be confirmed.

OFM News