By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Afrikan Alliance For Social Democrats’ President, Papi Mokoena, has been elected as the new executive mayor of the troubled Mangaung Metro Municipality in the Free State.
He was elected unopposed.
ANC members, including the mayoral candidate Gregory Nthatisi, boycotted the council sitting on Friday 14 April 2023.
However, at least two ANC councillors, who were expelled by the ANC last month –Deputy Mayor Mapaseka Nkoane Mothibi and Patrick Monyakoane – formed part of the sitting.
A total of 53 councillors, including the council speaker Maryke Davies, formed a quorum and according to Davies, this allowed a sitting.
The Democratic Alliance’s David Masoeu has been elected unopposed as the new council whip.
The Acting City Manager (ACM), Tebogo Motlashuping, and other officials, including the Head of Departments (HODs) and members of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), declined to attend the sitting due to safety concerns.
This was at least the third attempt to convene and hold a council to elect the mayor, following safety concerns and disruption by irate workers and disgruntled residents.
This week, the metro tried to convene but irate workers prevented council members from entering the chambers.
The security was beefed up across entrances on Friday with the police and private security keeping a watchful eye.
The Mayoral vacancy happened after former embattled Mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana resigned following his redeployment by the ANC Free State Provincial Executive Committee (PEC).
Siyonzana’s resignation was followed by the resignation of former speaker Stefani Lockman Naidoo after she was also asked by the PEC to step down.
While ANC enjoyed a slight majority, with 51 seats in the 101-seat council, with the seven fired councillors, the party now only had 44 seats and a trust deficit – because it wasn’t entirely certain how many of its councillors voted with the DA.
In a media statement, the ANC’s Free State spokesperson, Jabu Mbalula, said the ANC noted and welcomed the findings and orders of the Bloemfontein High Court, in response to an urgent court application that was lodged on Friday.
“Noting that the Mangaung Metro Municipality had a scheduled council meeting today, the ANC swiftly approached the court in anticipation of the appetite by expelled councillors to illegally participate in the said council sitting, that was scheduled for today, 14 April 2023 [and instantly] launched an urgent court interdict to prevent any participation of the said councillors who were expelled.
“The High Court in Bloemfontein agreed with us, and made the following orders today that the former ANC members are interdicted and restrained from in any way further acting as councillors of the Mangaung Metro Municipality,” said Mbalula.