Though not on the list of ANC councillors to be inaugurated at the City of Tshwane council on Friday, Lucas Ngobeni made his way to the sitting.
"Security would not allow me in, but I told them I needed to serve a court order to the presiding speaker," Soshanguve resident Ngobeni, 55, told Sowetan.
He obtained the court order against the ANC a week before the local government elections.
In it, Judge Natvarlal Ranchod of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria reviewed and set aside the party's decision not to field Ngobeni as a candidate. In a hearing snubbed by the ANC, Ngobeni argued that he was duly elected by his branch in Soshanguve's ward 89 to stand as a candidate, but "much to my surprise" the ANC fielded an "unknown", Maria Skhosana.
Ngobeni is one of a number of ANC members who have complained that their names were switched after branches nominated them to run as councillors.
Kgosientso Ramokgopa, chairman of ANC in Tshwane, admitted last week that grievances by some party members over candidate selection processes cost the party votes in the capital city.
At the disputed ward 89 in Soshanguve, the ANC went from 93.12% in 2011 to 66.99% now.
Its total share of votes went from 11749 in 2011 to 8906 this year, with the EFF claiming 2589 of the votes. Ngobeni's push to get into the council sitting, the first of the newly elected council, was his latest attempt to get what he says is justice.
His presence forced Mapiti Matsena, deputy chairman of the ANC in Tshwane and a councillor, to ask the presiding speaker, municipal manager Jason Ngobeni, to allow ANC members to break for a caucus.
After this caucus, Matsena came back to tell Jason Ngobeni that ANC members opted to leave to his discretion whether the sitting could continue without being in contempt of court.
He elected to continue, and inaugurated Skhosana along with other councillors.
Skhosana's supporters celebrated at a party on Saturday.
Realising that Skhosana's inauguration could compound his issue, Lucas Ngobeni said he would talk to his lawyers.
"What worries me now is that they have inaugurated [Skhosana]. According to the court order, I'm the ward councillor."
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
Court-appointed councillor wages battle against ANC
Though not on the list of ANC councillors to be inaugurated at the City of Tshwane council on Friday, Lucas Ngobeni made his way to the sitting.
"Security would not allow me in, but I told them I needed to serve a court order to the presiding speaker," Soshanguve resident Ngobeni, 55, told Sowetan.
He obtained the court order against the ANC a week before the local government elections.
In it, Judge Natvarlal Ranchod of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria reviewed and set aside the party's decision not to field Ngobeni as a candidate. In a hearing snubbed by the ANC, Ngobeni argued that he was duly elected by his branch in Soshanguve's ward 89 to stand as a candidate, but "much to my surprise" the ANC fielded an "unknown", Maria Skhosana.
Ngobeni is one of a number of ANC members who have complained that their names were switched after branches nominated them to run as councillors.
Kgosientso Ramokgopa, chairman of ANC in Tshwane, admitted last week that grievances by some party members over candidate selection processes cost the party votes in the capital city.
At the disputed ward 89 in Soshanguve, the ANC went from 93.12% in 2011 to 66.99% now.
Its total share of votes went from 11749 in 2011 to 8906 this year, with the EFF claiming 2589 of the votes. Ngobeni's push to get into the council sitting, the first of the newly elected council, was his latest attempt to get what he says is justice.
His presence forced Mapiti Matsena, deputy chairman of the ANC in Tshwane and a councillor, to ask the presiding speaker, municipal manager Jason Ngobeni, to allow ANC members to break for a caucus.
After this caucus, Matsena came back to tell Jason Ngobeni that ANC members opted to leave to his discretion whether the sitting could continue without being in contempt of court.
He elected to continue, and inaugurated Skhosana along with other councillors.
Skhosana's supporters celebrated at a party on Saturday.
Realising that Skhosana's inauguration could compound his issue, Lucas Ngobeni said he would talk to his lawyers.
"What worries me now is that they have inaugurated [Skhosana]. According to the court order, I'm the ward councillor."
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
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