North West Premier Job Mokgoro has been accused of acting irrationally and unjustly by delaying the release of reports expected to solve the
chieftainship dispute of the Bapo Ba Mogale.
The Bapo Ba Mogale, owners of the platinum-rich land between Rustenburg and Brits, have been embroiled in a dispute about their legitimate chief for many years now.
The ongoing dispute was blamed for the lack of accountability over the disappearance of millions of rand that mines operating in the community paid out as royalties, among other ills.
A commission of inquiry chaired by advocate Sesi Baloyi started looking into the dispute in 2016.
Baloyi handed over her reports, containing findings and recommendations, to Mokgoro earlier last year.
The premier was due to release the reports to the Bapo Ba Mogale in May last year but he was interdicted by Julius Mogale, one of the chieftainship claimants.
Mokgoro has been blasted for withholding the reports though Mogale’s interdict no longer stood. Mogale lost his bid in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in March this year.
Mokgoro’s spokesperson, Vuyisile Ngesi, did not respond to questions emailed to him.
Harry Moerane, speaking on behalf of the claimants pushing for immediate release of the report, said Mokgoro was acting unduly.
“We want the results of the commission. Taxpayers' money was used for the commission. So, what’s the point of holding them?” asked Moerane.
The Moeranes were one of three claimants to the chieftainship.
In a letter the Moerane family sent to Mokgoro on May 6, which The Star has seen, the premier is lambasted for withholding the reports.
“We wish to highlight that, post the dismissal of the high court application, the premier hesitated with impunity to publish and release the Bapo Ba Mogale I and II Final Reports,” said the letter signed by Morongwe Moerane and Itumeleng Moerane.
“The actions of Premier Mokgoro are irrational and an arbitrary abuse of power.”
The letter said Mokgoro could not claim that Covid-19 stopped him releasing the reports.
The reports needed to be released urgently to address the Bapo Ba Mogale traditional leadership vacuum that ensued after the death of Kgosi Bob Mogale in May 2017.