Johnathan Paoli
ActionSA has welcomed the move to temporarily suspend Kopanong Mayor, Xolani Tseletsele, for allegedly insulting a civilian who complained on social media about potholes in Jagersfontein.
ActionSA Free State Provincial Chairperson Patricia Kopane said on Wednesday that Tseletsele’s suspension should not be used in place of criminal charges.
“This behaviour is unacceptable from a government official tasked with serving the community. He is not fit to hold public office. Instead of fixing the roads, he chose the easy way out by silencing a member of the community,” Kopane said.
Kopane said that Kopanong residents deserve to be led by ethical and committed public servants who conduct themselves in a manner that is beyond reproach.
She said that her party will visit the victim – Kalebe Kalebe and will be following up by opening a criminal case against the Mayor at the Jagersfontein Police Station.
The incident, which is understood to have taken place two weeks ago in the Jagersfontein area, was caught on camera.
In the video, Tseletsele can be seen verbally attacking Kalebe who it is believed had complained about potholes on Facebook.
Kalebe was at his private residence with his young children, who were visibly upset by the confrontation.
Mbalula announced on Tuesday night that Tseletsele would undergo disciplinary processes and be subjected to the ANC’s integrity committee and described his behaviour as disgusting and a threat to the brand ANC.
“Gone are the days of asinavalo. We must have fear of our people, even if they swear at us, [or] show their anger at us,” Mbalula said.
The SACP in the Free State Province has called the sudden suspension into question, with provincial spokesperson Philip Kganyago saying that in the interest of fairness and consistency, the matter should be handled through an organisational process with restraint, based on facts and truths and with an intention to be corrective rather than punitive.
“Whilst the SACP respects the ANC’s right to undertake its internal processes, the SACP in the province respectfully disagrees with the passing of judgement and sanction without a hearing that must solicit and process full facts and developments on the matter,” Kganyago said.
Kganyago added that Tseletsele was one of the young deployees of the movement, and should be properly nurtured, nudged and guided to discharge his responsibilities and serve the community with humility and supported to turn around Kopanong Municipality which was systematically collapsed by state capture linked to parasitic patronage networks that operated in the province.
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