Mangaung ANC accuses caucus of being ‘counter-revolutionary’ after DA councillor elected speaker
DA councillor Maryke Davies was elected as speaker of Mangaung metro municipality ahead of ANC councillor Bongani Mathea.
The Mangaung council is controlled by the ANC. Picture: Michel Bega
The African National Congress (ANC) in Mangaung has slammed some of their councillors accusing them of being “counter-revolutionary” and sleeping with the opposition after the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) councillor Maryke Davies was elected council speaker.
The Mangaung council is controlled by the ANC.
Davies from the DA was elected on Wednesday ahead of ANC councillor Bongani Mathea and replaces Stefani Lockman-Naidoo, who resigned earlier this month.
Voting
Despite having 51 councillors in the council, the fractures within the ANC were clearly visible after only 40 are believed to have voted for Mathae.
Counter-revolutionary
Speaking to The Citizen, ANC regional secretary Sabelo Pitso said the party will meet to discuss a way forward.
“It is a matter of concern; I don’t think we’ll just leave it unattended. We still have to get facts around it and take decisions because this matter is not only a matter of ill-discipline, it is equated to being counter-revolutionary which has been applied in this case.
“If you rebel against the ANC, it amounts to being counter-revolutionary and amounts to selling out the people of Mangaung who voted for the ANC and put us in power,” Pitso said.
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Lie detector test
Pitso said he is not aware of the party provincial leadership calling all members to a polygraph test immediately after the results had been announced.
“I don’t want to make any commitment of lie detectors, I don’t know anything about that. We had our own consultations and from those consultations, I never hear of any lie detectors,” Pitso added.
Mangaung mayor
The Mangaung council is meeting again on Thursday to elect a new executive mayor after former executive mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana was recalled by the ANC for failing to improve service delivery in the city.
The Mangaung metro was under national administration following years of corruption, mismanagement and political infighting within the governing party.
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