The promotion of John Makoro Mpe as the Executive Mayor of Polokwane Municipality by the ANC is true testimony that putting service deliver ahead of factionalism is potent and imperative.
Pessimists of Mpe known as “John the Baptist” who is also ANC Peter Mokaba Regional Chairperson in Limpopo were baptised with fire when they failed to prevent him to emerge as the Executive Mayor of Polokwane following the ruling party’s working committee meeting earlier.
Mpe the former Executive Mayor of Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) superb administration work assisted him to perform political exorcism to his party-political demonic nemeses claiming to be President Cyril Ramaphosa’s loyalists when he managed to achieve another clean audit opinion for the 2019/20 financial year from the Auditor-General.
Remarkably CDM proceeded in the previous 4 financial years in its audit performance by moving from unqualified audit in 2015/16 with 18 findings to another unqualified audit in 2016/17 with 8 findings to 1 material finding in 2017/18. This was followed by clean audit in 2018/19 and retained it now in 2019/20.
Polokwane Municipality is category B municipality that shares municipal executive and legislative authority in its area with a category C municipality within whose area it falls. Mpe’s appointment is an administrative and political promotion because Capricorn District Municipality falls under category C.
Mpe’s appointment must send a clear message that factionalism will not only destroy the ANC but will affect the communities. ANC electoral head former ANC deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe recently warned ANC members to refrain from factionalism following complains he received about leaders who aren’t listening to the people from the ground over candidates’ lists.
It was going to be disingenuous to snub Mpe to lead Polokwane the Capital City of Limpopo because he was the only Executive Mayor who received two clean audits second year in a row during his term as Executive Mayor of Capricorn District Municipality because he is refusing to subject himself to Ramaphosa’s faction. Mpe holds a postgraduate diploma in business administration, a bachelor of management leadership degree, and an intermediate diploma in administration and commerce, among other qualifications.
It is about time that we put people’s first not selfish interests in the name of factionalism. To this day people don’t have land and they are unemployed. We don’t want racial war and unrests that occurred in KZN and Gauteng because of lack of leadership.
The ANC as a governing party must accelerate a culture of appointing people based on their achievements and capabilities not because of factionalism which is eating up the ANC as the liberation movement. I’m of a view that if people are good administrators like Mpe must be appreciated and chosen without trepidation. It is prudent to think beyond factionalism because it will destroy the organisation and ordinary citizens who aren’t part of such counterrevolutionary trends. Former President Motlanthe was very clear that factionalism is eating up the ANC if not careful nothing will be left should its members not listen to the branches. He warned them about the current lists candidates’ problems affecting the ANC.
The mind is the most potent weapon therefore actions speaks louder than words. Never be subjected to trepidation by cheerleaders because their mandate is to cheer not to enter the battlefields. Factionalists are just like cheerleaders who are pushing their own selfish interests’ agendas without profoundness but dimness hence they fail to recognise those who are excelling wherever they are deployed. The best way to perform exorcism to your nemesis is to achieve beyond their expectation and imagination silently. A lion knows when to retreat just like a good dancer knows when to leave the stage for the battlefield is their dance floor. That’s the greatest wisdom to defuse and paralyse your enemies.
The Chairperson of the Capricorn House of Traditional Leadership, Kgoshi Maleboho praised Mpe for taking his responsibilities seriously and the significant strides made during his tenure. “His track record speaks volumes about his commitment and work ethic,” he said.
Mpe vowed to accelerate the culture of putting people first with humility, quality and respect. “If people don’t want to work or serve our people with a smile, then they should go home and allow those who want to work to do so. In my culture we say that in the absence of leadership and respect we are more likely to collapse. The most important lesson really is that the establishment of respect actively promotes the success of any organisation. These are some of the lessons that I will be bringing with me to the Polokwane Municipality.”
South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) Provincial Spokesperson in Limpopo Mafalo Phasha said : “Comrade Mpe’s track records in administration of getting two clean audits speaks volume that he is equal to the task to now lead big municipality like Polokwane which is a category B. We are confident that he will accelerate service delivery to the community with humility and respect just like he did in CDM.”
ANC provincial spokesperson Donald Selamolela described Mpe as a rare breed who is not economical to the truth when he calls order to ANC comrades and employees who work for his administration. Therefore he is the best man for the job as the Polokwane Executive Mayor.
Comments