By Thys Khiba – On Friday, the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State fired eight of its councillors with immediate effect in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality council for defying the party line and caucus decision not to attend a council sitting until certain issues were clarified.
Amongst those who have been expelled by the ANC in Mangaung, the Deputy Executive Mayor, Mapaseka Mothibi-Nkoane and former Speaker Stefani Lockman-Naidoo are also included in the list of fired councillors.
“Nobody is bigger than the ANC. As per the ANC constitution rule 25.35 these expelled individuals have a right to appeal this verdict, effectively from the day of receiving this communication,” said ANC Mangaung regional Secretary Patrick Monyakoana.
During a press briefing, Monyakoana reminded the public of the defiance of the caucus decision by certain councillors not to attend a council sitting until certain issues were clarified.
This included their participation in the alleged illegal removable of the then Acting City Manager.
The ANC has accused its councillors of voting with the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) to ensure that the party preferred candidate for the position of the Council Speaker, Lawrence Mathae is not elected.
“The outcome of that voting process to elect the Council Speaker, as announced; reflected that the opposition parties had received more votes than they jointly hold in the Council.
“The higher votes received by the opposition means that certain ANC members had deliberately colluded with the opposition, to ensure that the ANC preferred candidate for the position of the Council Speaker is not elected,” said Monyakoana.
The denied divisions within the ANC in the region were full display when some its councillors in the council on Wednesday failed to follow the party line when they voted for DA councillor Maryke Davies to be the new speaker of the municipality.
The governing party, ANC received 51% outright majority in the 2021 Local Government Elections and this places the party as the majority party in the City.
According to Monyakoana, the ANC viewed the behaviour of its councillors as unacceptable and highest form of arson.”
On Tuesday, 28 March, the City has welcomed two new members of the Mangaung Council, party PEC member Nthatisiand party regional chairperson Mathae at the Bram Fischer Building.
Mangaung was placed under the national intervention in April last year after it failed to implement the financial recovery plan.
The National Cabinet Representative, Gugu Malaza hopes that the new addition to Council will help steer the city in a different direction.
“As the NCR, I am responsible for the implementation of the financial recovery plan, it gives me a great pleasure knowing that we will be replacing political leadership and I believe this will provide the structural direction that the municipality needs. I wish you best in your duties and you must know that it’s not business as usual, we are going to require you to put yourselves in the shoes of the residents of Mangaung and commit to serve them with pride,” said Malaza.
This comes after the city’s mayor Mxolosi Siyonzana and council speaker Lockman-Naidoo resigned from their positions.
Siyonzana tendered his resignation after he was publicly criticised by ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, for the collapsing service delivery levels in the City.
Meanwhile, the ANC in Mangaung has recommended in August 2022 that Lockman-Naidoo, deputy executive mayor, Mothibi-Nkoane, and former executive mayor, Siyonzana, be axed from their positions.
Lockman-Naidoo and Mothibi-Nkoane were also among eight councillors who were expelled by the party in Mangaung for reportedly disobeying organisational codes and defying ANC Mangaung whip, Vumile Nikelo.
The ANC in Mangaung went into the party regional elective conference divided.
FREE STATE CENTRAL NEWS
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