Thebe Mabanga
The Thabazimbi Local Municipality has been plunged into confusion after the Municipal Manager, Clement Letsoalo, obtained an interdict against his suspension while the council held an off-site meeting to effect the suspension and appoint an acting Municipal Manager.
Letsoalo’s precautionary suspension, which was initially decided on a May 27 council sitting, was from tabling of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee report.
The interdict was obtained on Friday, the same day the meeting took place. The council intends to hold another special sitting on Monday and introduce the Acting Municipal Manager.
At the same time, the speaker of council, Daniel Mampeule of the Labour Party has been asked by his party to resign as speaker and councillor.
He has also been asked not to wear any party regalia or take part in party activities. Mampeule has thus far defied the party and instead presided over Friday’s meeting.
It has also emerged that Mayor Andries Tshukudu, who was not at Friday’s meeting, refused to sign the Acting Municipal Manager’s appointment letter, and council sought the intervention of the provincial Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs to install the Acting Manager.
Tshukudu and Mampeule were appointed as speaker and mayor at a meeting in March that was presided over by Letsoalo. The meeting dismissed former mayor Tumisang Pilane and former speaker Dingaan Sebata.
Pilane and Sebata were removed after attempting to dismiss Letsoalo in a meeting at the end of February that did not quorate or obtain council support. Some parties abstained from the vote.
The Democratic Alliance was openly critical of the appointments, arguing that they turn council into factional battlegrounds.
Neither Tshukudu nor Mampeule, who had acknowledged Inside Metro’s initial request for comment last week, could be reached for comment on Saturday. Council spokesperson Joshua Motsosmane, who had redirected earlier enquiries, could be reached for comment. Letsoalo has declined to comment but has engaged outside of requests for comment.
Letsoalo has now obtained a court order that sets aside the February 28 decision and says the matter of his dismissal “should not be entertained”.
The order further interdicts council from tabling an item related to Letsoalo’s suspension. Friday’s meeting was held off-site at a local mine, ostensibly to avoid potential disruption. The interdict and Letsoalo’s lawyers’ letter were served at the Council’s offices.
The court order was deposited to the council WhatsApp group, of which Letsoalo is part, after the meeting had concluded. Letsoalo’s letter makes clear that any discussion of his suspension will be in contempt of court. He appears set to use this argument against Monday’s sitting and unveiling of an Acting Municipal Manager. ‘
Letsoalo’s precautionary suspension was from tabling of the Municipal Accounts Committee report, which he sought to oppose, on an oversight visit to a R 52,9 million road construction tender that was found to be riddled with irregularities from the point of award in May 2025 and now has funds unaccounted for. The report also highlighted the misuse of disaster relief funds of R 15 million out of R 40 million within a month of receipt.
The Thabazimbi Local Municipality is located in the Waterberg District Municipality, anchored in Thabazimbi, or “Iron Mountain.”
