The embattled Ditsobotla local municipality has cautioned the public and stakeholders not to interact with Olaotse Bojosinyane in any capacity related to the municipality.
The North West municipality made this announcement after disturbing events this week in which Bojosinyane allegedly forced his way into the municipality offices on Tuesday, leading to a shoot-out in which two employees were injured. There were also two “council meetings” convened by different parties on Wednesday.
The council said it terminated the employment contract of Bojosinyane as municipal manager on January 30. The municipality said Bojosinyane took the council decision on judicial review in the labour court on February 14. A judgment handed down last Friday ordered his reinstatement.
However on Monday, the council appealed the February 28 judgment. The municipality said the appeal suspended the operation and/or implementation of the judgment. Mayor Mazwi Moruri informed Bojosinyane regarding the notice of application for leave to appeal.
“Regrettably, Mr Bojosinyane disregarded the communication and took office occupation by force, aided by his private security,” said acting municipal manager Rasupang Mooketsi on Wednesday.
Mooketsi said chaos erupted on Tuesday between the security company personnel employed by the municipality, some municipal employees and the private security of Bojosinyane.
Live ammunition was used, allegedly by Bojosinyane's private guards, who shot at municipal employees and injured two. One employee sustained a gunshot on the chest and he is in a critical condition at hospital while the other one sustained gun shot on the lower leg.
Mooketsi said the viral letters of resignation purportedly written by Moruri and council speaker Jairous Modisakeng were fake and fraudulent.
“To this extent, cases are registered with the police for further investigation. The speaker and the mayor view this as an attempt to cause confusion and uncertainty.”
Mooketsi said those committed to undermining the political office bearers unlawfully convened a council meeting out of the jurisdiction of Ditsobotla municipality on Wednesday .
“A notice of council meeting was circulated undersigned by Mr Bojosinyane, who is no longer an employee of the municipality pending the finalisation of the appeal.
“These actions are nothing but desperate attempts to create parallel structures of governance. It is rather sad that a few councillors are in support of this attempt to create a state of dysfunction.”
Mooketsi said on Wednesday that Modisakeng convened a properly constituted special sitting of council at which council received an update from the mayor about the visit by the office of the minister in the Presidency responsible for performance, monitoring and evaluation.
“Since the end of January 2025, our municipality through the intergovernmental relations, has been engaged on continuous engagements to source resourceful support and interventions to assist the municipality provide much needed basic services to residents.”
Ditsobotla local municipality has been a symbol of dysfunction, with council services not reaching residents. The municipality is known for having had two mayors, two speakers and two municipal managers from warring ANC factions for most of 2022.
In 2021 Clover closed the country's biggest cheese factory in the town due to “ongoing poor service delivery”.
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