Butelezi's call comes after Morema was arrested for allegedly hiring Jeffrey Makhubela to assassinate Motion Mashile, a political opponent of Morema's in 2003. Morema then allegedly kidnapped and killed Makhubela when he demanded the money he was promised for carrying out the murder. 

'To protect the image of Bushbuckridge and Mpumalanga, the ANC's Council Speaker must provide leadership and move quickly to suspend the first citizen of the municipality so that Morema can focus on his murder charges,' Mr Butelezi says.

'Suspending him will show the people of our province that as leaders we take the strongest possible stand against crime, wherever and whenever it happens and no matter who the accused is,' says Butelezi.