The six Economic Freedom Fighters councillors in Mogale City who were unceremoniously fired by the party are heading to the South Gauteng High Court on Thursday to interdict their expulsion.
Speaking on Wednesday‚ Advocate Katleho Mofokeng of Mkhize Attorneys said that they had served the party with a notice of intention to appeal the decision.
“We have served the EFF (leadership) with a notice to appeal and today we filed an application with the IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) to interdict them from removing the names of the councillors from the municipal voters’ role‚” said Mofokeng.
This follows Mogale City Local Municipality announcing that it would be informing the IEC to remove the names of the councillors following the party’s announcement over the weekend.
The EFF’s chief whip in the municipality‚ Smanga Mkhumbeni‚ along with Eric Baloyi‚ Nomonde Nkatu‚ Nhlanhla Shilubane‚ Lebogang Modisane and Eddie Motsisi‚ were “expelled” by the red berets’ central command team after they allegedly voted with the ruling ANC for the municipality’s budget on July 11.
The EFF said the six had defied the organisation by voting with the ruling ANC in the municipality‚ a claim that Mkhumbeni has unreservedly denied.
Following this decision‚ the red berets vowed to take disciplinary measures against them which commenced in July at the party’s head office in Braamfontein‚ Johannesburg.
“At this stage it’s hard to say if they are still councillors because we are following the due processes of the law. In our notice of motion‚ we requested that until all the internal processes of the organisation have been followed‚ they must not be expelled‚” Mofokeng said.
There is just a one-seat difference between the ruling party and the opposition in Mogale City.
In the historical 2016 local government elections‚ the DA secured 27 seats‚ the EFF got nine‚ the Inkatha Freedom Party two and the Freedom Front Plus one seat.
The opposition together have 39 seats and the ANC has 38.
The municipality was being run by a DA-led coalition including the EFF‚ IFP and FFP with the DA’s Michael Holenstein as mayor who has since been voted out after the ANC tabled a motion of no confidence in him.
EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was not available for comment at the time of publication.
Axed EFF councillors take party to court
The six Economic Freedom Fighters councillors in Mogale City who were unceremoniously fired by the party are heading to the South Gauteng High Court on Thursday to interdict their expulsion.
Speaking on Wednesday‚ Advocate Katleho Mofokeng of Mkhize Attorneys said that they had served the party with a notice of intention to appeal the decision.
“We have served the EFF (leadership) with a notice to appeal and today we filed an application with the IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) to interdict them from removing the names of the councillors from the municipal voters’ role‚” said Mofokeng.
This follows Mogale City Local Municipality announcing that it would be informing the IEC to remove the names of the councillors following the party’s announcement over the weekend.
The EFF’s chief whip in the municipality‚ Smanga Mkhumbeni‚ along with Eric Baloyi‚ Nomonde Nkatu‚ Nhlanhla Shilubane‚ Lebogang Modisane and Eddie Motsisi‚ were “expelled” by the red berets’ central command team after they allegedly voted with the ruling ANC for the municipality’s budget on July 11.
The EFF said the six had defied the organisation by voting with the ruling ANC in the municipality‚ a claim that Mkhumbeni has unreservedly denied.
Following this decision‚ the red berets vowed to take disciplinary measures against them which commenced in July at the party’s head office in Braamfontein‚ Johannesburg.
“At this stage it’s hard to say if they are still councillors because we are following the due processes of the law. In our notice of motion‚ we requested that until all the internal processes of the organisation have been followed‚ they must not be expelled‚” Mofokeng said.
There is just a one-seat difference between the ruling party and the opposition in Mogale City.
In the historical 2016 local government elections‚ the DA secured 27 seats‚ the EFF got nine‚ the Inkatha Freedom Party two and the Freedom Front Plus one seat.
The opposition together have 39 seats and the ANC has 38.
The municipality was being run by a DA-led coalition including the EFF‚ IFP and FFP with the DA’s Michael Holenstein as mayor who has since been voted out after the ANC tabled a motion of no confidence in him.
EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was not available for comment at the time of publication.
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