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Embattled North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has made a U-turn on his decision to step down from his role as head of the province.
Mahumapelo was expected to make the announcement this morning, but the briefing has been “postponed indefinitely” due to “new developments overnight”.
City Press was told last night that Mahumapelo gave North West provincial legislature speaker Susan Dantjie his resignation letter ahead of Wednesday’s media briefing.
The much-anticipated exit was also confirmed by a statement released by Dantjie in her capacity as acting provincial secretary of the ANC in the province. The statement was released a few minutes before 8pm on Tuesday.
Read: Supra Mahumapelo resigns as North West premier
But today, Mahumapelo told News24: “The provincial leadership of the ANC has directed that I not resign until the provincial executive committee has met today.”
It’s understood an emergency meeting had been called to discuss his decision.
Mahumapelo tabled his budget speech in the provincial legislature yesterday, but it was largely overshadowed by speculation that he would be stepping down.
Read: Supra Mahumapelo expected to announce his resignation
The North West was rocked by violent protests as ANC members and residents called for Mahumapelo to resign amid allegations of widespread corruption, with Mahumapelo’s office having been raided by specialised policing unit the Hawks over alleged corruption and maladministration.
The North West health department was placed under administration by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He had also appointed an inter-ministerial committee to assess the state of the province.
Dantjie confirmed yesterday that she had received his resignation, but said that the ANC “still believed in Comrade Supra’s innocence until he’s proven otherwise” and commended him for putting the interests of the province and its people before his own.
News of his resignation yesterday was welcomed by political parties across the board yesterday.
The Congress of the People called his resignation “long overdue” and called on the ANC to appoint men and women of integrity, “servants who put the people of this country first”.
“Mahumapelo overstayed his welcome. Mahumapelo and his gang of looters have caused misery and destruction in North West that he and the ANC must take full responsibility for the mess,” the party said in a short but strongly worded statement.
Joe McGluwa, the Democratic Alliance’s North West provincial leader, called it “a step in the right direction of ensuring order and stability in the province”, but said Mahumapelo should still be held accountable for looting and collapsing the North West.
He believed Mahumapelo needed to be held accountable for:
• The monument in honour of Jacob Zuma – a broken man who now faces corruption charges;
• Tenders to the Guptas worth millions while the people of North West suffer without basics like water and electricity;
• His open affiliation and proud friendship with the Guptas who are accused of state capture;
• His disrespect for the Parliament of South Africa – swearing at opposition party members;
• The premier flatly refuses to share the damning forensic reports that have been commissioned by his office, pertaining to provincial departments, provincial entities, municipalities, and municipal entities;
• The Youth Entrepreneurship Services programme, which was supposed to address one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the country, had allocated the bulk of the grant to Ngaka Modiri Molema (R2 019 875) and Bojanala Platinum (R1 752 000) municipalities, coincidentally areas where his personal support base is strongest;
• Hospitals and clinics are understaffed and without resources. There are no proper patient transport systems in place;
• Towns and cities are falling apart due to no maintenance, due to corrupt spending by government;
• Our communities and schools are subjected to bucket toilets and pit toilets still – 24 years into our democracy; and
• His open incitement to violence and race division during the Coligny protests.
