Former Limpopo chairman of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa), Kgoshi Letsiri Faahla, says he was politically harassed by the organization for supporting the ActionSA political party in June.
He says some Contralesa members who are members of the African National Congress (ANC) were not happy when he joined ActionSA and called for a vote of no confidence in him.
Kgoshi Paahla resigned on Sunday.
After that, on Monday, the National Committee of Contrales dissolved the provincial structure.
Kgoshi Faahla says Contralesa’s leadership at the national level has been an extension of the ANC.
“The decision to purge me is really politically motivated. It all started after I made a conscious decision to be involved in fixing this country, which is descending into an abyss due to the mismanagement of the ANC. This decision that I made on June 28 caused everything that is happening now in Controlles.”
“The counter-blade at the national level is nothing. [It] was an extension of the ANC and no longer serves the interests of the traditional institution of leadership. [It is now] helping the ANC to continue its swagger because it has the support of rural constituency leaders,” adds Kgoshi Faahla.
Meanwhile, Contralesa president Kgoshi Lamek Mokoena disputed Kgoshi Faahla’s allegations.
“It was clear that this province was not going to function because of these deep divisions. We decided as NEC to dissolve this province. No member shall be punished merely because he has joined any political party. I will give an example of KZN, there is a royal leadership that belongs to Inkatha [IFP], some belong to the National Freedom Party and some belong to the ANC. They are all allowed to be Contralesa members. No one should be excluded just because he joined a political party of his choice,” Makoena explains.
