The disturbing claims were brought to light by the mayor of the troubled municipality, Dinor Pitso, during the committee’s visit, where she detailed a violent shootout that erupted on 25 August at the municipality’s headquarters. The confrontation involved a private security company and alleged hired gunmen following a controversial council meeting earlier that month, she said.

“We are told that those nkabis (Zulu for hitmen) are rented from that side of the zama zamas. They are still in our municipality; the municipality has been hijacked since 9 August. The information that we got when we were inquiring we were told that those people came from KZN.”

The unrest stemmed from a “bogus council” meeting on 9 August, which was followed by an escalation in tensions and eventually violence, she explained. 

“When we were trying to get law enforcers to assist with the situation, it’s unfortunate that up until today we have not received any joy from SAPS, hence that shootout that happened trying to remove those people from the municipality,” she added.

Speaker Portia Letshefi gave a conflicting account. Speaking before the committee, Letshefi expressed surprise that the oversight visit would delve into political challenges.

Bodyguard shot

“What I can tell is that there was a hearsay that there was a shooting at the municipality where one of the bodyguards was shot in the leg. I think it was an outside bodyguard because none of our bodyguards were shot, that’s all I can tell.”

Letshefi accused Pitso and other councillors of deliberately avoiding the council chamber on 9 August, instead gathering in a boardroom with a political deployee. She described a chaotic scene where community members, allegedly encouraged by Pitso’s faction, stormed the municipal offices.

“They were escorted by the special programs manager from the office of the mayor in and out. As a result, everybody was in fear because some of them were having knives and were told to come and stab us, people who were inside the chamber.

Volatile situation

“On that council, we discussed my motion, the mayor’s motion, MM’s motion, it was the chief whip’s motion; motion of no confidence against all of us. Forum for Service Delivery and ANC councillors had moved the motion against us.”

Despite Letshefi’s dismissal of a link between the shooting and the council proceedings, Pitso insisted the presence of armed men aligned with a “purported mayor” began after the controversial council meeting. Cogta portfolio committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize expressed deep concern over the volatile situation and the broader implications for service delivery.

“From where we sit, those two major factors, including the third one, which is the main issue (show) with such a municipality, you will not have effective service delivery,” said Mkhize. “There is no explanation we can accept for tolerating the continued paralysis that is being reported to us.”

He referenced ongoing issues flagged by the auditor-general, including dysfunctionality, poor governance, and a breakdown in service provision. “What has just been reported makes it impossible to correct any of those.”

The committee called on North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and his executive to urgently devise a plan of action to restore order and governance in the municipality.

Earlier this year, Ditsobotla Municipality in the same province faced similar challenges, prompting civil society group Sakeliga to seek court-ordered national intervention. This after Cogta MEC Oageng Molapisi made a public plea for urgent support from the national government, invoking Section 139(7) of the Constitution to justify full-scale intervention.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh