MEC MOLAPISI ORDERS NALEDI LM TO REMOVE SEGAPO
MAHIKENG – The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Mr. Gaoage Molapisi, has formally directed the Naledi Local Municipality to comply with a court order and remove Mr. Modisenyane Segapo from his position as Municipal Manager.
In a strongly worded letter to Mayor of Naledi Local Municipality, Councillor Advocate C.J Groep, MEC Molapisi emphasised that the court’s decision declaring Segapo’s appointment unlawful must be adhered to, pending the outcome of an ongoing appeal.
The legal saga surrounding Segapo’s appointment has been unfolding since September 2023, when the North West High Court ruled in favour of Mr. Thabo Appolus, declaring Segapo’s appointment as municipal manager invalid and unlawful.
Despite multiple legal steps, including an unsuccessful bid by Segapo to stay the court order, the MEC has made it clear that the municipality must respect the judgment and ensure Segapo vacates office.
The court order, originally issued in September 2023, has been upheld by various rulings, most recently by the High Court in July 2024, which dismissed Segapo’s efforts to challenge the execution of the writ ordering his removal.
Although Segapo has appealed the decision and the matter is still before the Supreme Court of Appeal, MEC Molapisi’s directive underscores the importance of abiding by judicial decisions until such appeals are concluded.
MEC Molapisi, in his letter, reiterated that the MEC and COGHSTA will not recognise Segapo as the municipal manager “until the outcome of the Supreme Court of Appeal suit” provides otherwise. The MEC called for the Mayor to comply with the court order and take immediate action to ensure the ruling is enforced, aligning with the principles of good governance and the rule of law.
The MEC’s call for immediate compliance is a clear message to all municipal bodies about the importance of adhering to judicial rulings and the consequences of disregarding them.
At the time this report was published, the Mayor had not yet responded to MORONGWA’s request to address the letter sent to him by the MEC.
