This comes after the majority of members of the ANC’s national working committee (NWC) called for Mahumapelo to be recalled, News24 understands.

The NWC held a meeting on Wednesday.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement on Thursday that the NWC “considered the developments in the North West province and reflected on the deep crisis in the [North West] health department and other departments in the province.

“The NWC welcomed the intervention of Cabinet in the province which is aimed at restoring good governance and ensuring service delivery is not halted,” he said.

“The NWC recommended that the national officials immediately meet with the premier of the North West province, who is also the chairperson of the ANC in the province, to discuss all available constructive options to resolve the ongoing impasse in the interest of the people of the North West province and the movement broadly.”

Violent protests

The North West has been gripped by violent protests, which began last month, calling for Mahumapelo to go.

The protests started in the provincial capital of Mahikeng, after a motion of no confidence in Mahumapelo, which was sponsored by the Economic Freedom Fighters, was indefinitely postponed when the party launched a court bid to demand a secret ballot to “protect” ANC MPLs.

The looting of shops and setting alight of public buildings quickly spread to several towns in the platinum-rich province, bringing business in several towns to a halt.

The ANC is under pressure to make a decision on Mahumapelo, with the EFF writing to the speaker of the provincial legislature demanding that the motion of no confidence be reinstated.

Several ANC MPLs were said to be ready to vote to oust Mahumapelo, despite pressure from party headquarters to toe the party line and not vote with the opposition.DM