ANC North West Chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo says he will wait for the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) to decide if he stays on as the provincial premier.
On Tuesday, 8 May Mahumapelo tendered his resignation as the Premier of the North West. The African National Congress (ANC) PEC subsequently released a statement accepting his exit.
However on Wednesday, 9 May 2018 Mahumapelo told supporters outside a PEC meeting in Mahikeng that he will wait for the outcome of the meeting before confirming or denying his resignation.
The official opposition in the North West, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said it welcomed Mahumapelo’s resignation and will push for the entire executive cabinet of the North West to resign along with Mahumapelo.
Party spokesperson, Thabo Sehloho, said the EFF is “going to ensure that all the executive that he appointed also accounts for corrupt activities that happened in the province.”
“Even after his resignation we are not going to rest until that time where he accounts for all corrupt activities in the province,” he added.
On the other hand, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) party in North West, Joseph McGluwa, told Political Analysis South Africa on Wednesday, 9 May 2018 that the DA is still waiting for confirmation of the resignation, but nonetheless welcomes the Premier’s exit as it will bring needed change to the province.
McGluwa, was however, less optimistic of the situation after Mahumapelo’s resignation.
“Having a PEC where he is still captain of the ship…they will still dictate whom they want as MEC’s so the fight is not over yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader in the North West, Michal Groenewald said in a statement that his party would continue to push for investigations into Mahumapelo’s alleged corrupt activities.
“The FF+ welcomes the resignation of Mahumapelo but will not allow the allegations implicating him in extensive fraud and corruption to come to nothing. These allegations must be thoroughly investigated. The Premier’s resignation must not save him from being prosecuted,” he said.
