Limpopo task team guns for Mathale

Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale File photo: Antoine de Ras

Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale File photo: Antoine de Ras

Published Jun 24, 2013

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Polokwane - The Limpopo ANC task team has decided to fire Premier Cassel Mathale and has asked Luthuli House for permission to implement the decision.

The Star has reliably learnt that, at a meeting last week, the task team also took a decision to recall three district mayors aligned with Mathale.

Highly placed party sources said the decision to recall Mopani District mayor Joshua Matlou, Sekhukhune District mayor Shoes Magabe and Lawrence Mapoulo of the Capricorn District Municipality was out of fear that they may award contracts to potential funders of expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema’s party.

It is understood that while the decision to sack Mathale was taken in March, the resolution to do the same with his allies was taken after the disbandment of the ANC regions they led as chairmen.

However, sources said ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe’s office has told the task team that Mathale’s future was President Jacob Zuma’s prerogative.

Sources said the task team also believed Mathale could be a liability to the ANC’s attempts to win votes in next year’s elections because of perceptions that he had presided over a provincial government marred by tender fraud, corruption and nepotism.

Ironically, the Limpopo ANC provincial executive committee under Mathale fired his predecessor, Sello Moloto, in the run-up to the 2009 elections.

Mathale, who lost his father last week, on Sunday said: “I am not in a position to discuss such things because my father has passed away.”

A regional ANC leader close to Mathale said he was aware of the task team’s decision.

“Now that they have removed Mathole Motshekga (former ANC chief whip), I hear they are gunning for Mathale. They might announce next week. If you were not with them in Mangaung, you are going to be punished.”

The source added: “We are not going to join Julius’s party. We will deal with them from within.”

A well-placed source said the team felt there was no basis to keep Mathale in his position because the ANC had passed a motion of no confidence in his leadership.

“That was one of the first issues they raised, but were told that was not their area. But that (makes) a mockery of the disbandment because the task team represents the provincial executive committee and they must have the power to recall their deployee, especially the one who works against its ethos,” the source said.

A task team member confirmed they had decided to fire Mathale, adding “we are more frustrated than anybody else”.

National ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said he was not aware of the resolution, but maintained that the Limpopo task team had no authority to fire Mathale.

Task team interim secretary Joy Matshoge, interim chairman Philemon Mdaka and party spokesman Sello Lediga on Sunday failed to respond to calls and text messages for comment.

Magabe said he was aware that his future was on the task team’s agenda, but added he did not know the outcome.

Mapoulo said: “I am not aware of that. I am currently focusing on my work as the executive mayor and a member of the ANC.”

Matlou could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

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The Star

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