Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC has shown eight of its councillors in Mangaung the door and also raised concerns regarding the legality of the council sitting which elected a DA Speaker in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
Announcing the expulsion of the councillors, the ANC’s regional executive committee (REC) in Mangaung said, after an urgent meeting on Thursday, “the organisation deems this act of ill-discipline as the highest form of arson and an affront to the organisation”.
The eight councillors, who have been expelled, are former Speaker Stephanie Lockman-Naidoo, who resigned about two weeks ago, Patrick Monyakoane, Mapaseka Mothibi-Nkoane, Chabeli Rampai, Comrade Mpho Mokoakoa, Lehlohonolo Moqolo, Lelala Makoa and Puseletso Seleke.
Three others, also found to have voted for the DA’s Maryke Davies as Speaker, in defiance of the ANC, were said to have demonstrated great remorse and promised never to defy the party. They were let off with a warning.
A spokesperson for the ANC Mangaung, Ncamile Nxangisa, said the party was compelled “to take decisive action to curtail such betrayal from happening again”.
Nxangisa said:
According to the ANC, on 27 January, the region held a media briefing to address, among other issues, “the defiance of the caucus decision by these certain councillors not to attend a council sitting until certain issues were clarified”.
According to Nxangisa, the expelled party members’ participation in the voting out of the then ANC council whip, and their involvement in the illegal removal of the then acting City manager, even before the pronouncement by the courts, were also raised at the time.
“The then interim regional committee had instituted disciplinary measures which had recommended certain sanctions against those comrades, and this decision was communicated to the provincial committee,” said Nxangisa.
He added that the ANC Free State provincial executive committee, in its meeting, concurred with the regional structure on the sanctions recommended.
The party was clear that deployees of the ANC were always reminded that they serve at the organisation’s behest.
The statement from the party says:
“The erosion of public confidence in the ANC remains on-course by those who are counter-revolutionary and who are hell-bent on reversing the democratic gains.
“The ANC’s commitment to renew and unite this organisation remains our immediate task, as the leadership collective, together with all ANC members, our unity and renewal must be based on a genuine commitment by all to this programme.”
The ANC also challenged Wednesday’s sitting, which saw Davies elected as Speaker.
Nxangisa said the ANC was convinced it “was procedurally flawed and its outcomes, therefore, borders on potential illegality”.
He said the party would await legal advice before deciding on the appropriate course of action regarding the matter.
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