This, as pressure mounts on the ANC Free State Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) to take action against these Councillors.

This follows numerous calls from other structures in the party – including the MK Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) and ANC Women's' League (ANCWL) - who are now calling for disciplinary action.

Military Veterans national spokesperson, Carl Niehaus, says the veterans denounce the removal of Mlamleli as Executive Mayor and further calls for swift disciplinary action against what he terms “sell-outs and betrayers”.

Meanwhile, the Women's league national Secretary-General(SG) Meokgo Matuba, says the structure expects the ANC leadership to take decisive actions against what she also terms “rogue elements within ANC Caucus in Mangaung”.

It's not yet clear if the Free State ANC will crack the whip in a similar fashion as it did in 2018 in Maluti-A-Phofung, when it fired 14 of its Councillors for misconduct.

ANC Councillors in the Matlosana Local Municipality - which includes Klerksdorp in the North West - were also slapped across the knuckles after voting with opposition parties in the council to remove Mayor Maetu Kgaile in September 2019 in an embarrassing 44-0 motion of no confidence.

On Friday 31 Councillors voted for Mlamleli's removal while 28 opposed it, and 8 spoiled their votes.

Mlamleli was voted out through a secret ballot after council speaker Mxolisi Siyonzana accepted the bid to vote via secret ballot.

The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) proposed the motion against Mlamleli, who previously survived at least two such motions after the DA's motion of no confidence failed in early February.

But the results could not be declared as council did not meet the quorum after few Councillors left the chambers prematurely.

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