Former ANCYL president, Collen Maine removed as North West MEC

Picture: North West MEC Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, Collen Maine

By OBAKENG MAJE

20 September 2024- The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi is expected to make changes to his Executive Council (Exco) next week. This comes after the ANC National Executive Committee’s instruction to remove a male MEC and replace him with a female to address gender disparity.   

Now, Mokgosi has relinquished former ANCYL president, Collen Maine from his position as North West MEC for Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation and replaced him with ANC Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Virginia Tlhapi, who is also former MEC for the same portfolio.

According to our highly-placed source, the decision was taken on 18 September 2024, during the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting. However, Maine allegedly requested until next week to wrap up some of the projects that were already at the advanced stage.

Those projects include the opening of Manthe Indoor Centre and Taung Cultural Calabash preparations, amongst others.  Maine is expected to replace SANCO’s Tshepo Khoza as North West Provincial Legislature’s Deputy Speaker.

Khoza was unceremoniously removed from this position amid fake matric certificate allegations. On 21 June 2024, Mokgosi appointed five men and five women as MECs in his EXCO. However, he was supposed to apply the 60/40 method.

Meanwhile, the ANC spokesperson in North West, Tumelo Maruping said: “This matter is still internal and the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi will communicate his decision next week.”  

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