The High Court delivered the ruling on her ousting on Friday 19 March. 

Mahlangu briefly tells OFM News she feels good, except for a mild headache. She says she felt the need to challenge the validity and legitimacy of the no-confidence vote taken by council against her last month. 

This, however, isn’t Mahlangu’s first rodeo with the North West High Court. In 2019, the same courthouse ruled that the mayor had to be reinstated in the same position after she was placed on special leave by council in July 2019 pending a no-confidence vote.

Mahlangu’s ousting forms part of factional battles at play within the African National Congress (ANC) in the province. It’s believed that members linked to former North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo and those opposed to him, continue to battle it out at several key districts including the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and the Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts where Matlosana mayor, Maetu Kgaile, is also wanted out.

The developments come a month after the ANC’s interim provincial committee in the province  - which also has its eyes on sacking Mahlangu - placed the premier and four other legislature members on temporary suspension from the party regarding the election of the chair of chairs in the legislature.

The interim provincial committee alleged Job Mokgoro and company defied the party’s mandate by voting with the opposition in the province regarding the position. Mokgoro told media after the announcement that he will continue carrying out his duties as premier in the midst of the political drama and stated that he is answerable to “Luthuli House”.

The ANC in the North West’s interim provincial committee has said they will monitor Mokgoro’s decisions moving forward and will intervene on major decisions made to ensure he does comply with the party mandate. It has since been revealed that the IPC remain unhappy with Mokgoro because he has gone “rogue” and runs the province as he wishes.

Mokgoro’s tenure as premier has not been smooth sailing whatsoever. In 2019 a public spat between his office and the Ditsobotla Municipal Council, which includes Lichtenburg and Coligny over the deployment of the then administrator, played out in the public.

Ditsobotla councillors reportedly wanted the administrator to be withdrawn at the time of the ugly spat, citing non-performance as their primary reason.

The council alleged the administrator had done nothing at the time to try and shave off the municipality’s near R500 million Eskom bill at that stage in 2019. This was but one example of the times that Mokgoro had found himself on the wrong side of local government.

OFM News