This is according to the ANC Free State Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) spokesperson, Oupa Khoabane.

He tells OFM News that Mlamleli has already stepped aside from her ANC Women League (ANCWL) position, and the ANC will treat her as innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.

Mlamleli is among several suspects implicated in the failed R255 million asbestos project, when she was the MEC for Human Settlements in 2014.

Khoabane says despite Mlamleli being a PR councillor in the Metro Municipal council, she is not directly in a position of influence in any form of the ANC’s structures.

OFM News understands that some in the ANC want Mlamleli to step aside, but the defiant Mlamleli has told this group that the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport, Patrick Monyakoane, should be the one to step aside to make way for the new mayor - whom the ANC would like to elect soon.

Monyakoane’s trial commenced last month at the Thaba Nchu Regional Court in the Free State.

Monyakoane stands accused of assaulting former ANC members Nkahiseng Sefume, Mpho Ramakatsa, and others in 2012 in Moroka in Selosesha.

Mlamleli was ousted in August 2020 during a vote of no confidence wherein members of the ANC in the council voted with the Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) to remove her via a secret ballot.

Since then the Metro has had an acting mayor.

Deputy Mayor, Lebohang Masoetsa, acted as the Mayor for a few months, before current acting mayor Molefi Morake took over.

OFM News