North West MEC for economic development, environment, conservation and tourism, Bitsa Lenkopane.
North West’s new MEC for economic development, environment, conservation and tourism has asked the province’s gambling board to resign, leaving the entity in turmoil.
Bitsa Lenkopane informed North West gambling board chairperson Vuyo Peach and “all individual members to voluntarily resign”, in a letter dated 4 July this year, which City Press has seen.
“In the event the chairperson and members of the board hold a contrary view to resigning, they should furnish [me] with the reasons within a 48-hour period.
“Failure to heed this advice will lead the MEC to exercise her legislative powers in dealing with the situation,” reads the letter.
The nine-member board was appointed last October on a five-year term.
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Lenkopane cited questionable procedure and general compliance with the North West Gambling Act in the establishment of the board, as well as concern about operations.
This included the response to the board’s core mandate and its relationship with the stakeholders.
She complained that the board’s turnaround strategy and action plan may lead the entity into “incurring irregularities that might affect the smooth functionality of the provincial government”.
Wrote Lenkopane:
The management, consolidation and coordination of the activation of the economic activities remain a concern
City Press understands that Peach, the board chairperson, resigned on Monday.
But, when contacted for comment, he would neither confirm or deny whether he had quit. He refused to discuss the latest developments.
In March, City Press reported that Peach had crossed swords with his then deputy and former ANC Youth League leader Collins Maine, whom he accused of usurping his powers as board chairperson.
Maine vacated his position on the gambling board after he was appointed MEC for arts, culture, sports and recreation last month. Six board members defied the MEC and refused to step down.
In a joint response letter dated 7 July the six wrote:
Laying such demeaning and disparaging allegations against us as individual members is not only a concern to us but also alarming, taking into account that the MEC has never had an ample opportunity to engage with the board
The board members said that their collective aim was to work with the MEC to address her concerns and clear any misunderstandings.
“We will disregard your letter and will continue with our fiduciary duties until you provide us with valid reasons in terms of the North West Gambling Act as to why are you considering dissolving the board,” they wrote defiantly.
On 9 July, Lenkopane wrote to three board members, informing them that their membership was either being reviewed or withdrawn, as their appointments were irregular.
She ordered Tshenolo Lefutswe to return the entity’s property and settle his financial obligations, as his membership was being withdrawn with immediate effect.
Justifying the decision, she explained that section 5 of the North West Gambling Board Act empowered the provincial treasury to only second one representative to the gambling board.
The MEC wrote:
It is my considered view that your appointment is inconsistent with the provisions of section 5 of the act, where, among other things, your name was not [gazetted]
Lefutswe, who refused to speak on record on the matter, hit back at Lenkopane in a letter dated 10 July.
He said her allegations were unfounded.
“The allegation that I was designated as provincial executive representative for the municipalities when I was appointed … is misguided and the North West Gambling Board Act is misquoted.
“This clearly shows that you were intentionally misled by your advisers, as they should have easily retrieved my appointment letter,” he said in the letter, which City Press has seen.
The MEC is also reviewing the appointments of Busisiwe Pule and Mpho Maleme to the board.
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She accused the duo of being among those causing instability at the provincial gambling regulatory entity.
Maleme was seconded to the board to represent the department of community safety and transport in February by then MEC Sello Lehari.
Attempts to reach the department’s spokesperson, Jerry Matebesi, have been unsuccessful.