Marti Will
Rumours are rampant that the convicted executive mayor of Matjhabeng will be returning to office despite now officially having a criminal record. These rumours are sending shock waves of anger through the community, and promises of mutiny from the different municipal unions are rife.
As far as what can be gathered from ANC sources, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC has decided that Thanduxolo Khalipha must resume his duties after being on the step aside rule since 22 July 2024. This after his conviction on two charges of assault and crimen injuria in the Odendaalsrus Magistrates’ Court in December 2024.
In December 2024, the council also decided to appoint an ad hoc committee to investigate his absence and present their findings to council.
This committee only started with their first meetings in late March 2025 because the ANC councillors wanted Khalipha to be paid his back pay, in contrast to what council’s decision was. The speaker only provided clarity on 31 March on how the processes will run, but until council has considered the ad hoc committee report, he will not be paid, says cllr Piet Botha.
The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), and organised labour forces have vowed to stop working and withhold services should Khalipha return. In addition to this looming threat, paying residents and businesspeople have threatened to withhold payment for services which will cripple the municipality.
“This will also have a major effect on service delivery and water leaks, sewerage spills, electrical problems apart from refuse removal which will not be attended to. People will have to live without water, in raw sewage flowing into their houses, no electricity because of a short-sighted decision of the arrogant ANC”
“This will also have a major effect on service delivery and water leaks, sewerage spills, electrical problems apart from refuse removal which will not be attended to. People will have to live without water, in raw sewage flowing into their houses, no electricity because of a short-sighted decision of the arrogant ANC,” says Botha.
In the meanwhile, cllr Coreen
Malherbe, caucus leader of the DA and official opposition, submitted a motion of no confidence (MONC) in Khalipha on 22 January to the municipal manager and speaker, which is still to be discussed in council. This is contrary to the standard rules and orders of council, which specifies that the MONCs must serve before council within 21 days after being received.
The speaker unilaterally, and in contrast to the rules, decided that he will only entertain such after the conclusions of the findings of the ad hoc Committee. “This has absolutely no bearing on each other, and the rules must be followed,” says Botha.
“It will be a sad day indeed if the paying residents who did not vote for the ANC, have to suffer because of the ANC who does not have the best interest of the residents of Matjhabeng at heart.
“It is crystal clear that the ANC is protecting their own because Khalipha has vowed that he will spill the beans on everybody who ate at the trough when contracts were dished out for the upgrading of the wastewater plants in Matjhabeng,” says Botha.
The FF Plus’ councillor, Manie Pretorius, says Khalipha’s absence is characterised by several requests to be absent for personal reasons.
“None of the applications to be absent refer to the type of leave applied for. There is also no mention of the start and end dates of the period applied for. During Khalifa’s absence, legal advice was sought by the council. It is also clear that not all applications to be absent were submitted to the law firm involved. The council has taken a resolution that a committee be constituted, of which a representative from each political party will be represented. This committee is currently busy with their investigation. Khalipha will be given the opportunity to appear before the committee,” says Pretorius.
