Mpumalanga ANC expels 15 councillors for colluding with opposition to oust mayor

Fifteen ANC councillors in Mpumalanga have been expelled for colluding with some opposition political parties and illegally removing the mayor of the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality, Thulare Madileng, from office.

On Tuesday, the party’s Nkangala regional secretary, Leah Mabuza, said the councillors were expelled on Monday with immediate effect.

She added they had signed a motion and actively participated in a council meeting in Siyabuswa on October 23 last year which saw the ousting of Madileng.

Mabuza said the motion was initiated by the EFF in the council and supported by other opposition parties, including the DA, African People’s Convention (APC) and an unnamed independent councillor.

“The charged members in their testimony did not dispute that they had attended an irregular council meeting that resolved to remove the mayor on October 23 without the ANC caucus being held as a norm.”

She said they had also had not refuted they signed the motion.

“Their conduct brought the name of the ANC into disrepute and manifested a flagrant contravention of the moral integrity expected of members and public representatives of the ANC. The [expelled] members have a right to appeal as envisaged in the ANC constitution.”

According to Mabuza, the councillors were expelled after they were each found guilty of two charges by the Nkangala regional internal disciplinary committee hearing of the ANC in December last year.

The charges are for breaching the membership oath and prejudicing the integrity or repute of the ANC.

Mabuza said the vacancies created by the expulsion of the councillors would be filled accordingly in due course.

On Tuesday, Madileng told News24 he was happy because consequence management was implemented in the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality, adding he was reinstated as mayor by a court ruling late last year.

“There will always be consequences for any action that any person takes,” he said.

The expelled councillors could not be reached for comment.

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