North West legislature establishes Ad hoc committee to probe Premier

The North West legislature has established an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate allegations of improper conduct against Premier Lazarus Mokgosi.

The allegations were made by the Mayor of Naledi Local Municipality, John Groep, during the oversight visit of Parliament’s Joint Portfolio Committees to municipalities in the province last month.

Groep alleges that Mokgosi instructed a former employee of the municipality to alter a report concerning the appointment of the Municipal Manager Modisenyane Segapo.

The committee comprises four members from the African National Congress (ANC) and one each from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). uMkhonto Wesizwe Party member of the provincial legislature Lerato Tsholo will represent all minority parties.

Committee chairperson Nathan Oliphant says Mokgosi will have to explain himself to the committee soon.

“It is alleged rather that the Premier of the North West province may have had some dealings or a hand in the recruitment processes of the municipal manager of Naledi local municipality, and they regard that as impropriety, for now we are treating it as a member of the legislature and any other member of the legislature who might have acted improperly,” says Oliphant.

The establishment of the committee was widely welcomed by opposition leaders in the legislature. However, some members of political parties in the legislature, Justice Dabampe of the EFF, Christiaan Steyl of the Democratic Alliance and Lerato Tsholo of the MKP have warned against being used for ANC factional battles.

“We are very much careful not to be used in political battles by political parties, especially the ruling party, where they want to deal with their own and use us,” says Dabampe.

“We believe that any other allegations should not be left unattended; it should be investigated witness should be called and provide the Ad Hoc committee with all the necessary evidence that is needed,” says Steyl.

“We are here about transparency and accountability, whether it’s an ANC internal political fight, that’s got nothing to do with us,” says Tsholo.