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The ANC has recalled Douglas Maimane as mayor and PR councillor of the Madibeng Local Municipality with immediate effect.
“The recall, taken by the ANC North West provincial executive committee, has the concurrence and authority of the office of the secretary-general,” ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said on Tuesday.
She said the ANC caucus in Madibeng will implement and give effect to the decision through the lawful processes of council.
Earlier this year, Maimane was recorded offering opposition councillors money to launch a campaign against his own party, the ANC, ahead of the local government elections.
And after discovering the clandestine meeting, held on March 10 at Amigos Guesthouse in Brits, had been recorded, Maimane sent lawyer’s letters to the councillors, threatening them with legal action if they shared the clip.
In April, the ANC decided to recall Maimane, but he then served the ANC with a letter from his lawyer demanding reasons for his dismissal.
It took an urgent court interdict and a collapsed council meeting for Maimane to hang on to the mayoral chain.
The Madibeng council was on course to vote on a motion of no confidence tabled by AIC councillor Peter Tsheola, which was amended by the ANC before the council meeting collapsed at the end of April.
Maimane was granted an interdict by the high court in Pretoria which prevented the speaker of the Madibeng council and other parties from proceeding with the proposed motion of no confidence against him.
TimesLIVE reported that Maimane had increasingly come under scrutiny from the ANC after a string of controversies at the failing North West municipality, which incorporates Brits and Hartbeespoort.
Bhengu said on Tuesday the ANC deployed its cadres to serve the people and not to serve themselves.
“A deployment to public office is a responsibility held on behalf of our communities, and it is held only for as long as the cadre advances the mandate of the movement.”
She said where that mandate was not advanced, the ANC would act accordingly.
“No individual ambition will be allowed to stand above the needs of the people.”
She said the discipline of all ANC councillors and public representatives was under careful watch.
“A three-line whip applies in every council and caucus, and the line of march of the movement obtains.
“Our public representatives are expected to function within the discipline of the caucus, to account to the structures of the movement, and to keep faith with the communities who elected them.”
She said this standard would be applied consistently and without fear or favour.
TimesLIVE
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