North West tribe threaten to boycott polls

Published Jul 25, 2016

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Johannesburg - The tribal community of Bapo Ba Mogale outside Brits in North West, are threatening to boycott municipal elections over a fight with their tribal council.

The community want the provincial leadership to intervene in their dispute, which centres on the alleged misuse of funds earmarked to develop their area.

This is not the first time the Bapo Ba Mogale Traditional Council’s finances have come under the community's scrutiny.

In 2013, more than R500 million disappeared from the tribal council's trust fund. Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is currently investigating the matter.

The area, which is situated on the N4 to Rustenburg, is surrounded by platinum-rich mining land.

Last week, some of their frustrations came to a head when the community aired their allegations on a local radio station.

They alleged that in the past two years, London - and JSE-listed platinum miner Lonmin had poured millions of rand into the tribal council for local economic development, but the community hadn't seen the benefits.

Community spokesman Kgomotso Morare said the tribal council refused to give residents audited financial statements into the performance of an investment arm created from the royalties of mining rights.

“An investment company was registered and, as the community, we thought this was going to benefit us even though it was created without community resolution,” he said.

“It has been two years and there hasn't been a single community meeting. We swopped tribal royalties into equity transactions, but under that equity there are so many hidden things that the community don't know of.”

Morare said the investment company had not held an annual general meeting with the community. The company is a service provider to Lonmin and has trucks, buses and equipment worth millions of rand.

He said a report presented at a meeting lacked detail.

“We are going to mobilise the community to boycott this election if we don’t get the political leadership of the pro-vince to listen to us.

“We are tired of watching from the sidelines as our money is being misused.”

Last week, a group of traditional council supporters forced Madibeng FM, a community radio station in Brits, to cancel an interview with those opposed to the tribal leadership.

Station manager Nick Motloung said he had invited the traditional council and its critics to talk about the lack of development.

“People alleged misuse and mismanagement of funds,” Motloung said.

He said he had been curious why the area has been lagging behind - there was no police station, street lights or a community hall, while money was being poured into the council.

He said he had been broadcasting debates about the problems the community faced.

He has since been threatened by unknown people and has opened a case with the police.

On Sunday, Bapo Traditional Council spokesman Vladimir Mogale said the council would submit its first audited financial statements in September.

He said most of the people making the allegations were opposed to the new administration.

“We now have four major projects owned by the community, including a fleet of 100 buses and R200m of procurement business. Its dividends will come after some time,” he noted.

“We gave the community a feedback report with explanations on why we haven’t got audited reports. Our auditors said they wanted to do the 2015 and 2016 financial years together.”

Mogale accused Motloung of being biased by allowing people to make allegations on air without proof.

He urged anyone with proof of wrongdoing to approach the relevant authorities to investigate the matter.

@thabiso_tk

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The Star

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