Modimolle-Mookgophong Local Municipality Mayor Sechele Aaron Sebolai was fired this week during a special council sitting after the ethics committee found him guilty of misconduct. However, some say his dismissal was flawed, and he may be the victim of a factional battle.
The municipality has been engulfed in political and administrative infighting. It resulted in Sebolai not attending the recent ANC Waterberg regional elective conference. The top five ANC officials who were elected are understood to have differences with the ousted mayor.
Sebolai may not be the only casualty, though.
It is expected that the council will soon offer municipal manager Ben Thobela a golden handshake following his suspension in June. Thobela is facing allegations of misconduct involving a R25 million loan.
ALSO READ: Will an uncontested ANC elective conference fix the party?
Sources close to The Citizen have also said that the director of corporate services was allegedly given a letter of intention to suspend. This is after money to the tune of R48 million vanished, while allegedly paying service providers and creditors through dubious means.
Charges against Sebolai
The DA said Sebolai was facing four allegations:
- Failure to implement a council resolution — an appointment letter for the municipal manager was not issued according to the council’s instruction;
- Interference in the administration — written instruction to the bank not to change the municipal accounts, which resulted in the late payment of third parties;
- Abuse of power – instruction to the administration to rent a courtesy vehicle for the mayor’s use without council approval; and
- Unlawful instruction on delegations — instruction to the administration to write off the mayor’s municipal account.
After Sebolai failed to respond to the allegations, he was found guilty of misconduct on the four charges.
DA says mayor’s dismissal was flawed
Despite this, the DA said the decision to fire Sebolai was uncalled for.
“We, as the DA, are concerned because the ethics committee recommended one of the following actions: formal warning and reprimands, fine and/or removal from committees. However, during the council meeting, the ANC initially proposed the immediate dismissal of the mayor which was supported by all ANC, EFF and FF+ councillors.
“Following the DA’s objection, council agreed that correct procedures must be followed, but the ANC and EFF proceeded to remove Mayor Sebolai from the exco [executive committee], and elected councillor Anna Mboweni as the interim mayor until the next council meeting,” DA councillor Johnathan Paoli said in a statement.
ALSO READ: ANC gives verdict on Limpopo conferences plagued by infighting
The DA said the council decision is flawed and that the mayor has the right to appeal.
Paoli added that the decision could have serious financial implications for the embattled municipality.
“We will write to the MEC for COGHSTA [Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs], Basikopo Makamu, to intervene in this unprocedural quagmire to safeguard the scant funds of the municipality and residents.
“Mayor Sebolai must face the consequences of his actions, but correct procedures must be followed to ensure accountability, including criminal charges.”
The municipality, however, defended its decision to remove Sebolai.
“Mr Sebolai was afforded the opportunity to present his case, but subsequently declined to appear before the committee. The ethics committee’s report was presented to council on 15 December 2025 at the Modimolle‑Mookgophong council chambers. Having considered the findings, council accepted the committee’s recommendation that Mr Sebolai be found guilty of all allegations and consequently removed from his executive and mayoral duties,” reads the statement.
About the Author
