Johannesburg - The ANC in Gauteng has suspended former MEC of Sports Molebatsi Bopape with immediate effect, the party said on Monday.
“In order to maintain discipline within the organisation, the ANC Gauteng Provincial Working Committee (PWC) took a decision to suspend the membership of ANC member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and and PEC member, Molebatsti Bopape with immediate effect,” said provincial ANC spokesperson Hope Papo.
Bopape was moved from her sports portfolio to the provincial social development department after allegations of misconduct and corruption were levelled against her three years ago.
Papo said Bopape’s suspension related to her conduct at the provincial legislature in September, “which amounted to her undermining the political authority of the ANC caucus of the Gauteng legislature and its leadership”.
The incident related to Bopape telling provincial legislatures that she had a dossier that would “spill the beans” on Premier David Makhura’s handling of her case and demanded to be heard during a legislature sitting.
Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe refused to allow her to make her statement, adding that Bopape flouted the rules of the legislature by not following proper procedures.
“Our decision to suspend her was taken to mitigate any further damage to the integrity and public reputation of the organisation,” said Papo.
“Her suspension means she cannot represent or speak on behalf of the ANC in any capacity until until the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against her. All the facts about her misconduct would be presented to the provincial disciplinary committee for a determination to be made.”
Last year, Makhura ordered a forensic investigation into the affairs of the department and said at the time that he had received complaints from officials within the department, detailing allegations of misconduct and maladministration during Bopape’s tenure in office.
Makhura subsequently suspended Bopape from social development in February and replaced her with MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza pending the outcome of the forensic investigation.
African News Agency