Today’s celebrations are meant to honour Mandela’s release from the Victor Verster Prison 29 years ago, to this day. The ANC Provincial Secretary, Paseka Nompondo, is expected to address those present at the event. Naval Hill is home to a 6,5m statue of the former President. This celebration is set to take place amidst two Free State High Court cases against the party’s national and provincial leadership structures.

In the first case, four disgruntled members of the party in the province are challenging the legality of the provincial elective conference that took place in May 2018. In the second case, 16 expelled Maluti-A-Phofung Councillors are looking into having their expulsion from the party overturned. Judgment in the former has been reserved for an unconfirmed date, while the latter is set to sit in the High Court on Thursday, February 14.

 The applicants in the first case -Matshepo Ramakatsa, Lebeko Maile, Themba Mvandaba, and Shashapa Motaung – approached the court in November 2018 to challenge the legality of the provincial elective conference that took place in May that year. It was at this elective conference that the MEC of Police, Roads, and Transport, Sam Mashinini, was elected ANC Chairperson in the province, William Bulwane Deputy Chairperson, and Paseka Nompondo the Secretary. On Thursday, February 7, the opposing parties each delivered their arguments in the High Court and now await Judge Fouché Jordaan’s judgment.

OFM News/Sazly Hartzenberg and Olebogeng Motse