Turmoil in Moses Kotane: Councillors Move to Oust Mayor Amid Claims of Failure and Lost Millions

The troubled Moses Kotane municipality in the North West’s Bojanala district is once again at a political breaking point. Councillors have taken the dramatic step of tabling a motion of no confidence against Mayor Nketu Nkotswe, accusing her of gross incompetence, failing to implement council decisions, and presiding over a collapse in service delivery that has left rural communities stranded.

The motion, tabled by Councillor Fortune Luvuno and seconded by Mookamedi Thale, paints a picture of an administration in freefall. It argues that under Nkotswe’s leadership, the municipality has become a “textbook case of maladministration,” failing to perform basic oversight and allowing financial and operational dysfunction to fester.

The Charges: Lost Millions and Empty Promises

The list of allegations is severe:

• Financial Mismanagement: The municipality allegedly lost R24 million in conditional grants meant for service delivery in 2023 due to poor spending, with further funds at risk this year.

• Withheld Funds: National Treasury withheld equitable share transfers last December due to non-compliance.

• Stalled Operations: Critical vacant posts remain unfilled, and recommendations from both the council and the Auditor-General to address systemic shortcomings have been ignored.

• Service Delivery Collapse: The motion comes against a backdrop of extreme neglect, particularly of rural road infrastructure.

“A Road from Hell”: The Human Cost of Neglect

The political drama unfolds in communities living with dire consequences. Residents of Mmatau village describe the D534 road as a “road from hell,” untouched by the municipality since 1994. It was last maintained by the former Bophuthatswana homeland administration.

“For years we have endured… mortuary vehicles, buses, police vehicles, ambulances and other vehicles are unable to access our villages,” said villager Tsholofelo Kgobane. The impassable, muddy track cuts off access to clinics, hospitals, and schools, trapping residents in isolation.

A Culture of Alleged Collusion and Corruption

The municipality is also notorious for corruption, including the failure to pay pension fund contributions for councillors and staff. The motion suggests that some opposition councillors are colluding with ANC members to sweep issues under the carpet, allegedly benefiting from the crisis rather than holding the executive accountable.

The motion of no confidence represents a rare internal revolt in a municipality long flagged by the Auditor-General as one of the province’s worst performers. For the residents of Moses Kotane, the council chamber battle is more than political theatreit’s a desperate plea for a leadership that can finally fix the “road from hell” and restore basic governance to a municipality on its knees.

{Source: Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com