ANC: Decision to axe seven mayors in Limpopo ‘painful’

Seven municipalities are without a mayor following the ANC’s decision to cut ties with them due to their links to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal.

Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha and ANC provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane held a press briefing on Tuesday following the Provincial Executive Committee’s (PEC) resolution to fire those who had a hand in the illegal investments in the now collapsed VBS Mutual Bank.

The seven municipalities include Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, which invested R230 million, Greater Giyani (R153 million) and Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality (R150 million).

Vhembe Executive Mayor Florence Radzilani resigned on Tuesday.

In her resignation letter, Radzilani writes that she was never involved in the VBS Mutual Bank scandal.

Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in the Sekhukhune District was one of two municipalities that could recover some of the monies lost. 

Legankyane alluded that there is no reasonable prospect of removing the monies lost in the seven aforementioned municipalities.

“Is the ANC so blind, is the ANC so deaf – that you can’t even hear the cries by the poorest people in society who had VBS as their only hope.”

Lekganyane admitted to serious shortcomings in the deployment strategy of the ANC.

A forensic investigation by the South African Reserve Bank painted a clear picture that the officials were aware that according to municipal legislation they were not permitted to invest in the bank. 

“Our deployment strategy doesn’t require any minimum level of education, we deploy comrades on the basis of their commitment, loyalty and years of experience they have spent in the ANC,” Lekganyane said.