Central SA
North West High Court dismissed application against PEC─── LUCKY NKUYANE 11:02 Wed, 07 Dec 2022
A North West High Court judge has dismissed an application by a group of disgruntled ANC members who took the newly elected Provincial Executive Committee to court over varying allegations emanating from their 9th provincial elective conference.
After this provincial elective conference held in August 2022, a total of five members dragged the party to court but the application was dismissed with costs. The group was challenging, among others, the constitutionality and legitimacy of elected councillors across the province.
In September 2021, a group of ANC members and residents marched to the offices of the party in Klerksdorp to register their dissatisfaction over the alleged rigging of the candidate list.
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There are branch members who have also raised concerns about the rigging of branches towards the ANC National Conference wherein they claim that their branches did to convene meetings but they are reported to have delegates.
However, ANC spokesperson, Tumelo Maruping, said the party welcomes the court's decision. Maruping says the ANC views the conclusion of this matter as an opportunity for the movement to focus all its energies on the implementation of its manifesto and the renewal project of the ANC.
"We have said before, that this is a mere tactic to distract the organisation from implementing its programme of action and the mandate given by the Provincial Conference. However, this is not the time for triumphalism as there can be no victors and losers in this unfortunate case. The ANC reiterates to its membership populace, to make it a norm to exhaust internal processes provided for by the ANC Constitution before resorting to the courts. The Provincial Executive Committee is currently ceased with a mammoth responsibility of rallying all ANC members towards ensuring a decisive victory for the ANC at the forthcoming Ditsobotla by-elections,” Maruping added.
The newly elected PEC is the first structure to be elected in four years after the previous structure, chaired by former Premier Supra Mahumapelo, was disbanded by the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC). Its disbandment followed after Mahumapelo was asked to step down as the chairperson following sporadic violent protests in cities like Mahikeng and Klerksdorp, among others.
