ANC Free State wins court interdict against Mangaung municipality

The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State has welcomed the ruling of the Bloemfontein High Court which found that the election of Papi Mokoena as the executive mayor of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality was unlawful.

According to a statement issued by the party on Wednesday, the ANC said it maintained that the council sitting of 14 April 2023 was riddled with illegality which is why it pursued legal action to ensure that justice is preserved.

Conviction

“Based on this strong conviction, we then instructed our legal team to approach the court with the intention to reverse the decisions of the above-mentioned council sitting. It is with a great sense of appreciation that we wish to announce that the court has indeed found in our favour.”

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Vindicated

The ANC said it felt vindicated by the court outcome, and would continue to ensure that the council of Mangaung is properly reconfigured, in line with its internal processes, to ensure the acceleration of the delivery of quality services to the people of Mangaung.

“The ANC will never allow its deployees to be commanded to by the forces of the opposition, and will continue to deal harshly with those who refuse to tow its line. The ANC is a revolutionary movement, whose strategic goal is the attainment of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society.”

Mokoena was elected unopposed as the new mayor of the metro last Friday during a heavily guarded council sitting.

He promised better services to Mangaung residents.

“The plan is first to try and restore a little bit of order in the municipality,” he said at the time, speaking to news broadcaster eNCA.

“The second part is relating to the finances of the municipality. We have to find a plan in which we can ensure that our expenditure is not out of line.”

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