Axed North West mayor asks court for job back

Bojanala Platinum district municipality’s ousted mayor Magdeline Matlakala Nondzaba is dragging the municipality and the ANC to court demanding reinstatement and for her successor to be removed.

The ANC removed Nondzaba from her position this year and replaced her with Susan Nthangeni.

Nondzaba wants Nthangeni’s election to be reviewed, declared unlawful and set aside.

She also said the ANC’s decision to declare her seat in the council vacant and to fill it with a new councillor, Kagiso Moleko, must be reviewed and set aside.

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She cited the ANC provincial secretary, the ANC North West, the municipal manager, municipal council and the Electoral Commission of South Africa among a list of 16 respondents in the matter.

Each of the respondents was cited for different roles in the matter.

Ex-mayor failed to stop corruption

Nthangeni replaced Nondzaba after being elected as mayor in the Bojanala council.

She beat ANC provincial executive committee member and former Bojanala acting mayor Victoria Makhaula, ANC Veterans League member Tshidi Mangwathe and South African National Civics Organisation regional executive member Winnie Sono.

Nondzaba was first suspended from 15 November to 15 December last year and then removed by the party for her alleged failure on her executive oversight duty to stop corruption in the district municipality after some contractors were allegedly paid illegally by top management of the municipality.

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While on suspension, her position was occupied by Makhaula. Nondziba was subsequently removed and her seat declared vacant and filled.

Now, Nondzaba is allegedly refusing to return the state vehicle until the matter is settled in court. She has alleged that she was scapegoated for the erroneous actions of the senior managers.

Nondzaba is demanding that the court order the ANC, the municipal manager and the district municipality to pay the cost of her court application.

She is also asking the court to call on the respondents to provide records of all proceedings pertaining to their decision to declare her council seat vacant.

Respondents have until tomorrow to serve papers of their intention oppose the matter.