COUNCILLOR TAKES ANC TO COURT

JUST a week before local government elections, the ANC is being taken to the high court by one of its member who insists he was unduly replaced as a councillor candidate.

Lucas Ngobeni, 55, from Soshanguve, north of Tshwane, was nominated by his branch to stand as a councillor again.

But, to his surprise, an “unknown” Maria Skhosana has been made a candidate.

His urgent application will be heard at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria today.

Ngobeni has cited the ANC’s national executive committee as the first respondent. Gwede Mantashe, ANC secretary general, is the second respondent.

“Briefly put, the relief which is sought is the review and setting aside of a decision removing and/replacing me as the duly appointed nominee for ward councillor of ward 89,” Ngobeni said in papers.

His urgent application was put on the roll last week Tuesday, but Judge Peter Mabuse postponed it to give the ANC a chance to file opposing papers.

Testimonies from branches of the ANC, ANC Youth League and the South African Civic Organisation (Sanco) state Ngobeni was elected with majority votes to stand as councillor.

In a letter to Mantashe on June 7, Sanco’s Daniel Tauyatswala said: “Sanco will not support imposed candidates.”

The youth league in its letter asked for the withdrawal of Skhosana, “whom we don’t know”. “As the youth league and the youth in the community we elected [Ngobeni] to lead us.”

The ANC branch said: “[Ngobeni] obtained majority votes … his experience and popularity in the ward speaks volumes.”

Ngobeni learnt on June 2 “that ward 89 had a different nominee”. He wrote to Mantashe on June 7, “but it became evident I was being ignored and so too, the greater community”.

The community then collected funds for lawyers. But a letter of demand was also not answered.

“I, again, had to approach the community, which goes without saying, is not affluent, to collect funds to enable me to pursue the launching of this application,” Ngobeni said.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party has told branches all issues will be resolved after elections. “Our focus now is to win elections. You can’t change candidates now. Even if someone dies, that person will be on the ballot paper.”