Maquassi Hills mayor begs minister to stop speaker
· Citizen
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa faces fresh turbulence in the North West, where ANC councillor disputes have once again paralysed a local municipality.
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This time, the Maquassi Hills local municipality is in crisis after speaker Sarah Nkatlo allegedly pushed through senior appointments without proper authority, sparking outrage among councillors and prompting mayor Mzwandile Feliti to call for an urgent ministerial intervention.
Maquassi Hills mayor warns irregular CFO, director appointments
Feliti’s letter to Hlabisa follows a petition signed by the majority of councillors – including opposition parties and a section of ANC members to MEC Oageng Molapisi – demanding action against Nkatlo’s conduct and to deal with failing governance.
The councillors accused her of bypassing lawful processes in appointing a chief financial officer (CFO) in March and, more recently, a director of community services.
On 2 April, Nkatlo allegedly bulldozed the appointment of her preferred candidate, a manager in her office, for the post of community services director, despite the council majority backing another contender with better qualifications and experience.
The speaker reportedly ignored raised objections, selectively recognising only five ANC councillors who supported her.
The rest – including colleagues from the ANC, EFF, DA, FF Plus, Forum for Service Delivery and the South African Political Association – were muted and not allowed to speak.
In the letter to the minister, Feliti warned that the irregular appointments posed “serious legal implications” and risked wasteful expenditure.
‘Serious legal implications’
“I therefore respectfully request that your office intervene urgently by issuing directives to stop the implementation of any appointment arising from the disputed council processes, to address the conduct of the speaker and to provide preventive intervention should the situation persist,” he wrote.
The mayor’s appeal was copied to Molapisi and premier Lazarus Mokgosi, underscoring the gravity of the standoff.
Feliti said governance failures were escalating, with the speaker’s unilateral decisions undermining lawful council processes.
The controversy began on 23 March when Nkatlo allegedly appointed a CFO despite Feliti’s letter to the municipal manager three days earlier instructing that the process be halted.
Councillors say they were denied the opportunity to debate or vote on the matter, deepening mistrust of the speaker.