An ANC member who successfully challenged a decision by the party to overlook him when a vacancy was declared in council says the party is playing for time by appealing the court judgment.
Lehlaga Mphahlele, a former University of Limpopo lecturer and ANC member in the Peter Mokaba region took his party to court in October which declared the appointment of Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality mayor Merriam Molala unlawful.
Molala was, according to Mphahlele, parachuted ahead of him in the party list of members to council in order for her to be voted in as mayor.
Mphahlele was a councillor candidate number 11 on the 2016 local government elections list submitted by the party to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Only 10 ANC councillors could make it to the local municipality chambers at the time but when a vacancy was declared after the former mayor was booted out following the VBS scandal, Mphahlele said he was overlooked.
The court then directed the ANC and speaker of the municipality to recognise Mphahlele as the next candidate on the election list submitted to the IEC for councillor position.
The ANC has since convinced the court to grant it leave to appeal the ruling.
"My understanding is that the party is using delaying tactics knowing very well that next year is local government elections. They know the matter will have no relevance but I'm determined to follow the matter to the end," said Mphahlele. He said since his organisation was granted leave to appeal on November 11, he was still waiting for their appeal papers to be filed.
"We are waiting for their appeal papers and once we receive them we will be able to respond. The judgment will determine my next move," he said.
Mphahlele said his party in the Peter Mokaba region had never subjected him to any disciplinary process despite their threats initially that he was being ill disciplined by taking them to court.
He said the decision to overlook him was motivated by factionalism.
"The decision they took is not in the best interest of the ANC but few individuals who are aligned to factions. There is no justification for what they did even if they can approach the highest court in the court they will not get different results," he said. "They want to put someone to advance and protect their interests. But this abuse of power there are busy doing will have consequences one day."
Mphahlele defended the ANC process on list of councillors but blamed individuals for tampering with it for their own interest.
The ANC Peter Mokaba Region spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the party had filed an application for leave to appeal through its legal representative.
"It is expected that our legal team will file substantive appeal papers anytime from now and It is expected that the appeal is likely to be heard and finalised next year around June or September," he said.
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