ANC backs Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha

The ANC in Limpopo has defended premier Stan Mathabatha against calls by party’s alliance Cosatu that he step down for being soft on corruption.

Cosatu in Limpopo resolved to call for Mathabatha to resign after it said he failed to fight corruption and show leadership.

But yesterday ANC spokesperson Donald Selamolela hit back at the calls saying Mathabatha enjoyed the confidence of the ANC in Limpopo to lead both the organisation and government.

“The ANC takes strong exception at the characterisation of our provincial chairperson and premier and his ability to lead both the ANC in the province and the ANC government. It is the view of the ANC in this province that comrade Chupu Mathabatha and his collective, both within the movement and government took over the reins of an ANC that was on the brink of collapse, and a provincial government besmirched with administrative challenges,” he said.

“The tide has turned in the past five years, and there has been great pointers of stability in both government and the organisation.”

Cosatu said it had lost trust and confidence in Mathabatha following an embarrassment suffered when he unveiled at least 40 corrugated iron shacks at Talana Hostel, Tzaneen, in an effort to encourage social distancing at a congested informal settlement.

Cosatu provincial secretary Gerald Twala said: “After discussing the issues related to corruption in the province, including the Talana shacks matter, (this) led us to a decision that we think we no longer have trust and confidence in Mathabatha and his leadership and we are calling for him to step down. The issue of Talana showed a lack of leadership on the part of Mathabatha. You can’t, as the deployee of the ANC, proudly cut a ribbon on shacks.”

Twala added that it was unacceptable in the democratic country to house people on corrugated iron when the RDP policies were meant to redress the apartheid spatial development and the housing legacy.

“As if the Talana debacle was not enough, the Limpopo government proceeded to Apiesdoring, Burgersfort,” he said. The provincial government had to stop the construction of 152 shacks in Apiesdoring after the outcry over the Talana shacks.

Twala added Mathabatha had failed to act on fraud and corruption allegations in his office, and PPE tender scandal allegations.

-Sowetan

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