The South African Civic Organisation (Sanco) in North West has announced plans to stage a large protest at the Provincial Government to demand the removal of Khumalo Molefe, the Mayor of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. This follows his “public confession” of corruption and the ongoing lack of service delivery in the province.

Extending the Invitation to the North West Council of Churches, the provincial Business Chamber, House of Traditional and Khoi-San leaders, and the Taxi Association, Sanco said its leaders will lead a protest on Thursday this week together with residents of the province to raise pressing community concerns regarding service delivery to the North West Provincial Government.

In a letter to various organisations, Sanco stated that it would deliver memorandums of demands on behalf of the province's communities to the Premier and the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs at the Garona Building.

“We will demand the removal of Ngaka Modiri Molema Executive Mayor following a public confession of corruption. This will include all other pressing service delivery failures in the province including our collapsed borders in the province,” read the letter.

The organisation said it was concerned by rampant corruption in provincial municipalities, citing water shortages and ailing infrastructure, including sewage spillages and blocked stormwater drainage systems.

Sanco’s calls for decisive action against the embattled mayor started in 2023 when Molefe allegedly used his authority to extort money from service providers in the municipality.

The organisation’s provincial spokesperson Mzukisi Jam said that Molefe allegedly misused these funds to construct another double-story house, purchase a BMW for his wife, and acquire several other vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux.

“The sources claim that service providers were summoned to secret meetings and coerced into donating to the mayor. One source noted that he has been meeting with service providers regularly.

“He began by calling private one-on-one meetings in Mmabatho. Allegations of corruption, maladministration, and poor service delivery have marred Molefe’s tenure. Communities in Seweding, Ramosadi, and other villages near Mahikeng have endured dire living conditions, including sewage spills that persisted for months,” he said.

Jam further said some service delivery challenges are only addressed after a community march and another one led by SANCO, in which they demanded action.

He also alleged that some Sanco leaders get arrested when they stage peaceful protests demanding service delivery.

Last month, in a letter addressed to the African National Congress, Sanco demanded Molefe's immediate removal, and added that if the demand is not met, it will not campaign for the ANC in the upcoming local government elections.

Sanco Provincial Secretary Mogomotsi Mosheshe said the allegations were appalling and that Molefe’s behaviour has brought the office of the mayor and the broader alliance into disrepute, undermining public trust in leadership and governance structures.

“Sanco cannot condone or overlook such behaviour, as it contradicts the principles of integrity, accountability, and quality service to the people we uphold,” said Mosheshe.

“If the ANC fails to accede to Sanco's demand, take decisive action against the alleged corrupt element in its ranks as demanded above,” it said.

“It will, unfortunately, be difficult for Sanco to campaign for the ANC in the upcoming Local Government elections, and we will have no other options but to lead a mother of all marches that was never seen in North West to the Provincial Government to deliver a memorandum of demands on behalf of our communities.”

Molefe is also accused of redirecting and halting 12 water projects to build fire stations, demanding upfront payments from service providers, and using municipality resources to request funds, an allegation he refuted.

thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za

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Sanco North West to protest demanding removal of mayor accused of corruption