An acting Ward 25 councilor in Matlosana local Municipality in Klerksdorp in the North West has been appointed to replace the arrested councilor Tebogo Sepale.
Sepale,43, was arrested over a week ago and faces 11 charges including two counts of statutory rape. The arrest came after various videos surfaced of him engaging in sexual activities with people alleged to be minors.
Sepale made a brief appearance before the Orkney Magistrates Court today and smiled at the audience while making his way to the dock.
ANC Chief Whip at the Matlosana local municipality Khayalethu Ndincede said Sepale was served with disciplinary charges by the ANC immediately after he was arrested.
He said for service delivery to continue, a Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Local Economic Development was appointed on Wednesday until internal disciplinary processes were completed.
He however could not explain how the ANC is going to begin the disciplinary processes while Sepale is in police custody.
“After receiving a report of all the incidents that occurred in Kanana, perhaps the first incident that we had a report about was the murder that occurred sometime in 2021 and what we did on the side of the council through the ANC, I recommended an acting councilor.
“During that time I seconded MMC responsible for local and economic development Moagi Kodisang. I wrote to the speaker again to say that now that the same councilor has been arrested for many things, with 11 charges laid against him, I recommended that Kodisana act in his position again.
“I then requested a speaker to convene a special community meeting today to introduce the acting ward councilor until the internal processes are completed,” he said.
Ndincede said Sepale was a deployee of the ANC and that the party has an overall responsibility to charge him, take him before the disciplinary committee, suspend him, or expel him.
“Currently Sepale has been suspended by ANC, I spoke with the speaker that there must be a special committee established by the councilors, that will look at all those charges laid against the councilor and that committee would then preside over that and give us a recommendation as a council,” he said.
Ndincede said upon that recommendation then, the Matlosana local municipality will consult with the relevant department to see how best the municipality will address the matter.
“Councillor Sepale remains the councilor of Ward 25, I understand that he is not convicted but arrested and charged, the principle of innocence until proven otherwise may apply although also our processes as a municipality will continue,” he said.
Sepale’s case was postponed to June 26th for further investigation and bail application.
