Mosa leadership struggle
A PROLIFIC newspaper letter writer, who joined Minorities of South Africa (Mosa) to contest the recent local government elections, has claimed in court papers that since he had a “media profile’’ he was going to be the face of the party in the eThekwini Municipality.
Former DA member Narendh Ganesh made the claim in opposing papers filed in the Durban High Court, where a battle for the party’s city leadership is now being fought.
He said Shunmugam “Roy” Moodley, the party’s national leader who obtained an urgent interdict against him as KZN leader and the co-respondent, Ramachandra Govender, the party’s president, had last month informed him that he was going to lead the party in the municipality.
Last month Judge Shyam Gyanda, in granting an interim order in favour of Moodley, criticised Govender for stating in correspondence that he (Govender) “owned” Mosa.
Judge Gyanda said this was the first time in his long law career that he had come across someone saying that he owned a political party.
The impasse between Moodley on the one hand, and Ganesh and Govender on the other, resulted in Mosa’s sole seat being vacant at the swearing-in ceremony at the Durban City Hall last month.
According to Ganesh, who is represented by advocate Nash Deoduth, before Mosa was formed a series of meetings, in the guise of “a so-called national executive committee (NEC)”, was held.
“It comprised several people. The NEC was self-appointed to focus on the launch of the party. The applicant (Moodley) indicated that he could not participate at the launch as he was still a councillor on an ANC ticket.
“Despite my reservations, I pursued the idea in the belief that it would be in the interest of the new party that Moodley not involve himself in the party publicly and that the new party proceed as planned.”
He said that at the launch on February 17 he was introduced as the leader of the party.
“For all intents and purposes, as indicated in the print and electronic media, I represented Mosa as its leader. It was accepted that I was going to assume the position of provincial leader and Moodley, when he deemed it appropriate, would resign from the ANC and assume the position of national leader.
“The tacit agreement was accepted and upon Moodley’s resignation he held his own press conference where he declared his resignation from the ANC.
“Signs of division began after Moodley conducted party business from his personal residence. Unknown to me, the public representative list to the Independent Electoral Commission which Moodley prepared had him as number 1 and me as number 2. Moodley’s son Gary, who held the position of chairman, was incensed that his father had placed him at number 4 and not number 3.”
Moodley, in replying papers, said the defence relating to the representation of Mosa had no merit.
“Much of Ganesh’s answering affidavit is irrelevant to the central issue in this case, viz … (Govender’s) manipulation of Mosa’s list to the municipality and the IEC.
“The defence said from the outset the list was incorrect, and the fact that the second respondent (Ganesh) should have been the number 1 candidate is a fabricated afterthought. Ganesh was never promised the number 1 position.”
Counsels for the parties intend approaching the senior civil judge for a preferential trial date.