Moses Kotane Local Municipality

MUNICIPAL NEWS

MOSES KOTANE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY

Melting pot of activisim

Overview

With an estimated population of 243 648, covering an area of 5 719 kilometres and an impressive growth rate of 22%, Moses Kotane Local Municipality is situated in the North West Province within the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality. Established in 2000 and named after the struggle icon, Moses Kotane, it borders Rustenberg, Madibeng and Kgetlengriver municipalities with its seat of government at Mogwase.

As a rural municipality it is strategically situated on the R510 national road leading to most of the mines in the area. The internationally renowned Sun City complex, Pilansberg, Madikwe and Bakubung game reserves are significant attractions for local, national and international tourists.

Tourism, mining and agricultural industries are the primary creators of jobs and socio-economic development. Administration

Moses Kotane Local Municipality is a collective type municipality run by the Executive Council (EXCO). The Executive Committee is made up of six members who head portfolio committees of council and includes the Mayor as the Chairperson. The portfolio committees include: • Planning and Development • Community Services and Public

Safety • Local Economic Development • Infrastructure and Technical Services • Finance (Budget and Treasury Office) and Corporate Services

The current EXCO was established in August 2016 after local government elections. The office of the Mayor directly administers Special Projects Programmes including;

HIV/ AIDS, Youth, Senior Citizens, People with Disability, Women and Children and works with all relevant stakeholders for outreach programmes.

Mayor Ralesole Diale is supported by the Acting Municipal Manager, Pogiso Shikwane as the Head of Administration.

In its recent council report, the municipality indicated that, inter alia, it would present a clean audit and is confident that this can be achieved in view of the fact that it has steadily been

improving its audit scorecard from a disclaimer to a qualified audit and from a deficit to a surplus with no irregular, wasteful, unauthorised or fruitless expenditure. History

The name Kotane resonates with many South Africans especially those who are familiar with the country’s struggle for freedom. It is with pride that this rural area in the North West Province produced iconic freedom fighters like Moses and Rebecca Kotane.

Moses Kotane was born in Tampostad in the Rustenberg district in 1905 and died in exile in Russia in 1978. The location of this municipality is steeped in rich cultural and heritage history and it is here that Moses Kotane grew up as a herder but became involved in politics at a very early age. He educated himself and was an avid reader and this gave him a grasp of the political situation in the country. His later education continued whilst he was in exile in Russia.

His leadership skills propelled him up the ranks of the Communist Party and as a result he became General Secretary. Due to his astute understanding of the politics of the day and his leadership skills he became a mentor to many leaders, including Nelson Mandela.

Rebecca Kotane was equally involved in political activism and will be remembered for her prominent role in the Women’s March to the Union Buildings in 1956. The couple remained a thorn in the flesh of the apartheid regime until it was overthrown. The area where they grew up was close to the Botswana border and it became a gateway for freedom fighters to cross into Botswana to undergo military training. The area also served as a secret hideaway from those fleeing persecution by the security police, including Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and Moses Kotane himself.

The couple are the embodiment of the resilience and courage of the people of South Africa and it is therefore fitting that this local municipality is named after them.

The burial site of Moses Kotane in Tampostad, Phela was declared a national heritage site on 12 May 2017. Although he died in Russia, his remains were expatriated and buried at this site in 2015. The government further deemed the area of such great significance in the history of South Africa’s struggle for freedom that a monument was erected in 2019 at Lobatla village near the Botswana border. The monument consists of nine walls of remembrance representing the nine provinces. The passing of Ma Kotane

The year 2021 marks the passing of Rebecca Kotane - Ma Kotane as she was affectionately known at the age of 108, in her home in Diepkloof, Soweto. She was buried on 6 Feb in Phela. President Cyril Ramaphosa accorded her a Special Provincial Official Funeral Category 2.

In a statement, Mayor Diale said that Mme Kotane would be remembered “as one of the strong women, a champion for that matter, who supported her husband. Both dedicating their lives to the struggle for freedom and reconciliation…

“As the Municipality, we mourn her loss and offer our deepest condolences and solidarity towards the Kotane family, friends and all people within Moses Kotane Local Municipality jurisdiction”.

The late Rebecca Kotane