The African National Congress (ANC) in the North West has taken drastic action to quell a debilitating political crisis in the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, removing three of its own councillors after a violent incident and a protracted power struggle between two members claiming to be mayor.
The move comes after weeks of infighting that brought municipal operations to a near standstill and culminated in a shooting at the municipal offices on Monday that left a security official wounded.
The central figures in the crisis are two ANC councillors, Itumeleng Moarabi and Dinah Pitso. The turmoil began last month when the council, allegedly without the ANC’s approval, voted to remove Pitso, who had been mayor since 2021, and elected Itumeleng Moarabi in her place.
Pitso refused to vacate her office, declaring her removal unlawful. This created a bizarre standoff with Moarabi, who insisted he was the “rightful mayor,” despite the ANC’s provincial leadership publicly affirming its support for Pitso.
The party’s patience finally ran out. In a decisive move, the ANC provincial disciplinary committee removed Moarabi, the council’s Chief Whip, and another councillor from their positions.
“We have removed Mubara[b] as a councillor. We therefore removed the the chief whip as a councillor. We have declared the vacancies. We are going for by-elections,” a representative stated, adding that the members have also been subjected to internal ANC disciplinary processes for “bringing the organization into disrepute.”
The internal squabble has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who blame the ANC for failing to manage its own caucus.
“They need to take a stand as both these are ANC councillors. So ANC within caucus needs to stand up and say who is the rightful mayor,” said an opposition representative. “We can’t be held hostage because two people are fighting for a seat… Business must carry on.”
The political instability took a dangerous turn this week when a shooting occurred inside the municipal building. While police investigate the matter, municipal workers were instructed to stay home until Wednesday for their safety.
Trade union SAU, which pushed for the office closure, expressed ongoing concern for its members. “We were the one who forced the municipality… to close down the offices in terms of the safety of the officers,” a union official said.
The continued dysfunction has left residents frustrated and without essential services. A concerned resident pleaded for intervention: “Services are now closed, totally closed and for how long we do not know… Our leading party, these guys is yours… So come and intervene. Please we seek for your intervention.”
The ANC’s intervention to remove the councillors is its strongest attempt yet to restore order. However, with by-elections pending, a wounded security guard, and a community losing patience, the path to stability for the Ramotshere Moiloa municipality remains uncertain.
