EFF North West statement on the protest in Ditsobotla local municipality

4 January 2023

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the North West reiterates the assertion that all spheres of government under the unscrupulous leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) are substantially paralyzed. A dismal failure by the ANC-led government to manage the affairs of Ditsobotla local municipality in an accountable, transparent, efficient manner and to the best interest of the community as required by the Constitution and the applicable legislation has set a precedence that the people have to resort to protests in an effort to highlight their plight.

Today, the community of Ditsobotla witnessed the official documents belonging to the municipality destroyed and disposed off on the streets of Lichtenburg. In response to the incident in question, the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Nono Maloyi, alleges that contract workers are culprits.

Ditsobotla is on its knees. This bankrupt municipality can't provide basic services. Yet contract workers, whose contracts were not renewed, saw fit to tip piles of ratepayers files onto the streets of Lichtenburg, destroying records of this non-digitised municipality. pic.twitter.com/95HmxLoi45

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) January 4, 2023

It should be recalled that the ANC-led council was dissolved on the basis of, among other things, the infightings that led to the municipality being held at ransom by thugs with impunity. Therefore, it is on this basis that we are persuaded to infer that the disregard of the law and recognisable flops of the MEC Nono Maloyi and his illegitimate administrator Radinaledi Mosiane in constituting a council perpetuates the rise of discontent in Ditsobotla.

It appears clearly that the MEC only reflected a narrow and myopic view of the administration of the affairs of the community of Ditsobotla, and it is evident that the ANC led government is inspired at best by ignorance and negligence, and at worst by incompetence. These ills and troubles of Ditsobotla local municipality are the reason the MEC was not even aware that there was a possibility for a brewing protest by the alleged workers.

The EFF councilors elect to Ditsobotla local municipality are on the ground to enforce fiscal discipline and cost effectiveness for the common good of all the people of Ditsobotla, and also bears a responsibility to play an oversight role and ensure that constitutional and statutory obligations are properly executed.

Issued by Shakes Botswe, Provincial Chairperson, EFF, 4 January 2023