Plans afoot to oust Modise

MOVES are seemingly under way to depose North West premier Thandi Modise, who is also the deputy secretary-general of the ANC.

Sowetan understands a clandestine plan to have Modise stripped of her premiership of the province unfolded last Wednesday.

A senior ANC official in the province said a secret meeting was called, allegedly by provincial ANC chairman and fierce rival of Modise - Supra Mahumapelo - in Mahikeng.

Another party official revealed that former Vryburg mayor and current chairman of the portfolio committee on public works, roads and transport Hoffman Galeng as well as member and former deputy speaker of the legislature Veronica Kekesi attended the meeting, in which they were allegedly asked to sign a petition demanding that Modise be recalled.

It is understood that the petition also called for the removal of Mahikeng mayor Lenah Miga and Ngaka Modiri Molema District municipality mayor Phaladiwas signed.

The official said five ward councillors, each accompanied by 10 people, also attended the meeting.

"The petition was signed but what we don't know is where it will be taken to," said the official.

Sowetan has not seen the petition.

Kekesi confirmed that she had been to a meeting on the day at Mmabatho Civic Centre - the venue of the clandestine meeting as confirmed by the official.

But she refused to divulge reasons for her attendance .

Galeng also confirmed that he attended the meeting.

"I chaired that meeting and it was basically a platform to allow the community to air their grievances," Galeng said.

"There were no concerns about the premier per se but the meeting was about service delivery."

In a statement, provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge dismissed the "criminal acts, civil disobedience and mobilisation of innocent citizens" that he said resulted in calls being made to remove Modise from office.

Cosatu and the South African Communist Party in North West say they do not support any plot to remove Modise.

A provincial executive committee member said Mahumapelo was positioning himself for the premiership.

Mahumapelo's spokesman in the legislature, Mongezi Tsenca, said Mahumapelo had denied calling the meeting or attending it.

Tsenca said the meeting in question was a provincial affairs and finance portfolio committee meeting in which service delivery issues were discussed. - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za

• This article was first published in the printed newspaper on 11 July 2012