The opinions of opposition parties, including the DA, EFF, and African Alliance of Social Democrats (ASSD), are united and they have since accused the ANC of conflating council matters and party issues. 

This after the Chief Whip of the majority party in the council, Vumile Nikelo, sent a letter to the council’s speaker, Stefanie Lockman-Naidoo, informing her that no council sitting should be convened, following a certain ANC meeting.

In this letter addressed to Lockman-Naidoo, Nikelo says in the aftermath of the current developments - referring to the intent to expel eight ANC councillors - the Interim Regional Committee took a decision that, through him, no council sitting should convene.

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This has since then landed the ANC and Nikelo in hot water with the opposition parties, with the EFF’s regional chairperson in Mangaung, Kgopolang Lipale, labelling the letter to Lockman-Naidoo as undermining the work of the council.

Nikelo’s letter to Lockman-Naidoo follows after the Disciplinary Committee of the ANC’s Interim Regional Committee (IRC) in the Mangaung region allegedly issued letters with the intention to expel Lockman-Naidoo and Patrick Monyakoane, amongst others. According to the ANC’s IRC spokesperson, Ncamisa Ngxangisa, they were served with these letters because they allegedly voted with opposition members and defied party orders in council. This is the second time the ANC announces action against Lockman-Naidoo and Monyakoane in a space of six months.

“The EFF in Mangaung has noted with dismay and disgust the directive issued by the Chief Whip, councillor Vumile Nikelo, who has directed that the municipal work be halted until the ANC resolves its internal matters. This relates to councillors who are facing expulsion from the ANC as a consequence of voting in favour of a motion to suspend a senior manager, who allegedly employed ghost employees in the city. This instruction is not only illogical but also unconstitutional and unlawful,” Lipale adds.

“It is actually sad to see how far removed the ANC is from reality and that they view themselves above the Constitution and Rule of Law. Not only will their baseless instruction - to immediately suspend all council sittings - prevent the council from fulfilling their duties but also further fuel the non-delivery of basic services to residents in Mangaung,” the DA’s caucus leader in the council, Johan Pretorius, also added.

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