The mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality's hold on power is under threat following damning allegations of nepotism, corruption and sexual harrasment. ZiMoja can reveal that the North West ANC Regional leader, who lost the position of Regional Chairperson to Rustenburg Mayor Sheila Mabale Huma at the regional elective conference last month, is being investigated by the ANC Bojanala Regional Executive Committee ( REC) for alleged sexual harassment, amongst many other charges.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS

 All these allegations are contained in a letter drafted by mayor Douglas Maimane's personal assistant Tshepo Mokate dated 5 September 2023, which he said constitutes serious misconduct on the part of the mayor and negatively affects the image of the ANC as the ruling party at the municipality. In the letter which was sent to ANC Bojanala Regional Secretary Raymond Moraile, Mokate alleged that he wanted to brief the regional leadership about the sexual harasment case which was levelled against the mayor by a councillor and member of the mayoral committee (MMC) , which he said he witnessed. He alleged in the same letter that he was initially asked by the mayor to conceal certain information about the matter, but said that he was now ready to speak out because the matter affects many women who come into contact with the mayor. Mokate, a branch secretary in ward 22 in Bojanala sub region, further accused the mayor of nepotism and corruption stating that the ANC leader engineered the employment of his daughter and his baby mama into the municipality.

NEPOTISM AND CORRUPTION ACCUSATIONS

Furthermore, Mokate accused Maimane of corruption stating that the mayor instructed municipal officials to award a tender to his son through a mining company for work which was done at the municipal facility. "We have directly facilitated the employment of the daughter of the mayor in the institution through an internship at the finance department. We have also facilitated the employment of the girlfriend of the executive mayor, whom they share a child with, directly at the office, regardless of the fact that she does not qualify for the position, " states Mokate in the letter. Mokate further revealed that the mayor had acquired modules at OR Tambo political school in a questionable manner before he assumed the political office and he asked the REC to give him an opportunity to give further information on the matter in an organised meeting. 

ANC CONFIRMS INVESTIGATING THE ALLEGATIONS

When contacted for a comment, the mayor said the ANC was better placed to comment on the matter. "Speak to the ANC about that issue.

I have nothing to say," he said. ANC Bojanala Regional Secretary confirmed that the party has received the letter from Mokate and said an investigation into the allegations has been instituted. "We can confirm that we have received the letter from a member of the ANC with serious allegations levelled against the mayor. As such, the internal processes of the organization will unfold. The mayor is a deployee of the organisation and therefore will be subjected to the internal processes of the ANC, " said Moraile.