Community dangles SACP hat to rejected ANC candidate councillor in Madibeng

The ANC in the North West risks losing a ward it has dominated or being forced to succumb to the demands of the Maboloka community in Brits.

A councillor chosen by the ANC branch under the Madibeng municipality is being rejected by the party in favour of another candidate, prompting some community members to push for their preferred candidate to contest the ward under the South African Communist Party (SACP) banner.

Councillor John Raletele has been approached to stand as an SACP candidate after the ANC moved to reject his nomination for another term as ward councillor in Madibeng.

The ANC is expected to announce its mayoral candidates soon as the deadline looms for the IEC to close candidate registration ahead of the November polls.

The ANC local branch has raised concerns with the party and was awaiting a response while the community was already weighing up options.

Richard Nkutsweu, the Maboloka branch coordinator who submitted Raletele’s name, told the Sunday Times that he was awaiting a response from the ANC’s regional structure and was unaware of any other candidate being considered, as other nominees had withdrawn from the race.

“Other candidates withdrew when we went to the community meeting, and the community said we wanted John Raletele,” Nkutsweu said.

However, it has since emerged that one of the candidates who withdrew is now being considered by the regional structure, which has already informed Raletele of the decision.

“But Raletele was confirmed as the sole candidate of the ward in terms of the forms that I have signed as the branch co-ordinator,” Nkutsweu said.

The development has angered members of the community, who are refusing to accept the ANC’s preferred candidate. Some are now mooting the possibility of Raletele contesting the November local government elections under the SACP banner.

Nkutsweu said the community was angry and confused. He was also awaiting a formal response from the ANC after raising his concerns in a letter last week.

“I am disappointed about our leadership, and I will make a follow-up to understand what is happening, as people are angry and disappointed,” Nkutsweu said.

Asked about moves for Raletele to be considered as an SACP candidate, Nkutsweu declined to comment, saying he would await a response from the ANC before entertaining any other idea.

Meanwhile, Raletele confirmed that he was being “courted” by other parties seeking to contest the ward.

He said most ANC members and supporters wanted him to make himself available as an SACP candidate to “teach the ANC a lesson”.

Raletele said a “man-made cloud” stemming from a case that existed before he became a councillor was being used to exclude him from contesting for another term.

I can tell you now, the way things are going, the ANC will lose this ward because of this.

—  Phillip Lion, Bataung ba Hlalele Traditional Council

“Due to the cloud hanging over my head, I was not among the initial four nominated names going into the branch general meeting,” Raletele said.

He said he had become a victim of factional battles within the ANC, with some people prepared to act against the wishes of the community.

“There was another parallel process outside the processes and guidelines of the ANC, and that name is the one that the ANC wants to forge ahead with,” Raletele said.

Raletele confirmed that he has a pending public violence case dating back to 2019, which he believes is being used to sideline him as a ward councillor candidate ahead of the November 4 polls.

Phillip Lion, from the Bataung ba Hlalele Traditional Council, said it was disheartening that the ANC was refusing to listen to the wishes of the majority of people in the area.

“I can tell you now, the way things are going, the ANC will lose this ward because of this,” Lion said.

He said the community wanted Raletele because he was accessible and residents knew where to find him when they needed him.

“The people want him. That is a fact,” Lion said.

A 38-year-old ANC member from the ward, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the community was now confused by the developments.

“There’s now talk about the SACP on our branch WhatsApp groups and some people don’t understand what is really happening,” she said.

She said she was not opposed to the candidate being considered by the party but believed the community’s voice was not being heard.

“I did not have a problem with the new candidate being considered. He is also young and capable,” she said.

The ANC won more than 65% of the vote in the ward in the last local government elections.

ANC North West spokesperson Tumelo Maruping did not respond to requests for comment. His phone was unanswered when he was called.

There were at least eight other candidate nomination disputes in the region involving the party ahead of the Friday closing date.