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MEC (Basikopo Makamu) has been seen as the main person who has influenced the ANC’s decisions on a number of conflicts in the Waterberg REC and also in the local councils. The option is to silence him. - sympathiser

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Sizwe sama Yende

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Limpopo cabinet member Basikopo Makamu’s entanglement in murder and selling of a chieftaincy allegations could have been work of disgruntled regional ANC leaders in the volatile Waterberg region.

This is according to the cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (Coghsta) MEC’s sympathisers. Makamu is also the ANC’s provincial deputy secretary.

The sensational allegations surfaced in a circulating WhatsApp message from an anonymous person claiming to be a “heartbroken senior ANC Waterberg regional member.”

The message was also sent to premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, who, according to insiders was not interested in legitimising the allegations by acting on them without any formal complaint lodged with the police.

The heartbroken leader lobbies Ramathuba to take action against Makamu but does not indicate having reported the allegation to the police.

Makamu’s role in the region to quell infighting among ANC leaders that spilled over into the five local municipalities has been viewed as biased by those not favoured by the ANC’s final resolutions.

The ANC in the region has been hit by a double whammy. There is factionalism on the one hand and disillusioned voters on the other who have left the ANC in total control of three municipalities - Bela-Bela (Warmbaths), Lephalale and Mogalakwena (Mokopane).

Thabazimbi and Modimolle-Mookgophong (Naboomspruit) are governed by DA-led coalitions.

“He has been seen as the main person who has influenced the ANC’s decisions on a number of conflicts in the Waterberg REC (regional executive committee) and also in the local councils. The option is to silence him,” the symphathiser said.

“There have been issues in the hung municipalities where one group wanted the ANC to work with the EFF, and eventual decision taken was to work with the DA. It’s a combination of factors that see us here now.”

The anonymous whistleblower claims that Makamu helped a group to steal the Mokopane chieftaincy by influencing former premier, Stanley Mathabatha. He wrote that an official from Ivanplats Mine rewarded Makamu with US dollar notes worth R5 million in January 2022 because the group that was given the chieftaincy cooperated with the mining company.

Ivanplats management had not responded to written questions by the time of publication.

The whistleblower said that he was part of seven people that went to Makamu’s house including the man the MEC is alleged to have plotted to kill, Klaas Kekana.

Kekana was  deputy chairperson of the Mokopane Traditional Council. He was shot and killed on October 9 2022 while watching TV at his home allegedly on matters pertaining to succession battles of the Mokopane chieftaincy.  

“We went to Makamu's house carrying with us 300 000 US dollars, which was at that time R5 million, because the rand was trading at around R16 to the dollar,” reads the message.

Makamu has denied the allegations and said the he was worried that these allegations were putting his life at risk while he was being subjected to trial in the court of public opinion without any formal charges having been laid against him.

“A family lost a member and what if one of them is hot-headed and take the information at face value? This is a risk to me,” he said.

“People are not investigating [the] anonymous [complainant] but me. Anonymous is eating ice-cream somewhere. It doesn’t matter if his allegations are not true,” he added.    

Limpopo government spokesperson, Ndavhe Ramakuela, had not responded to questions at the time of publication.