ANC licking wounds after losing Mangaung Metro and blocking its councillors from attending council today ahead of election of Executive Mayor

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The election of the Democratic Alliance (DA) Maryke Davies as the new speaker of the troubled Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality sent shockwaves to the African National Congress (ANC) with sources claiming the ruling party subjected its councilors to the polygraph test to determine who might have voted with the opposition and subsequently blocking its councillors from attending council today where the new Executive Mayor will be elected.

Ninety-six councilors took part in the election with three declared spoilt.

Davies got fifty-three votes while the newly elected regional chairman and newly sworn councilor, Lawrance Mathae got forty votes losing the speaker position to Davies which brought shock to ANC members.

Step UP SA News has analyzed the numbers and according to sources, ANC had 51 councilors, if you add the four from the working pack (PA, ATM, and AIC) a total of 55 councilors were there, which would have guaranteed the ANC pack an outright victory.

Another source from the ANC who spoke on condition of anonymity said the three spoilt votes were from the ANC.

“We have been very unhappy since the provincial conference as we have been targeted and purged, we know they are going to sack us anyway and we don’t care.

Asked if handing the municipality to the opposition will not work against the party next year our source said.

“It’s a matter of months for this province to be a coalition government as we feel marginalized and we will not be campaigning.”

AASD’s Zwelakhe Msabe said democracy won.

“Today, democracy won and we hope this would be simulated in City’s finances and service delivery front.

We further congratulate councilor Lawrance Mathae for availing himself for that position and running a clean campaign that was free of threats to his ANC caucus.”

He concluded by congratulating DA Davies.

“We equally congratulate DA councilor Maryke Davies for her election as the speaker of the Mangaung Metro council and further wish her the best of luck in her new role.

We strongly believe she will work hand in hand with all councilors of the Metro in responding to challenges facing the City and empowering Mangaung residents.”

Today the council is supposed to elect the Executive Mayor following the forced resignation of Mxolisis Siyonzana and the race was to between ANC’s and former MEC, Greg Nthatisi and AASD’s and former Managung Mayor, Papie Mokoena who was dumped by the ANC when he was charged for fraud and money laundering but was acquitted.

With ANC councillors not attending the council won’t quorate.

In our exclusive interview, Mokoena details Mangaung’s problems and how he was framed for killing Nobi Ngombane by an inmate from Goedemoed Prison in Aliwal North.

WATCH:

https://fb.watch/jAV2740ApK/?mibextid=cr9u03

It will go down to numbers against and the ANC will have to ask themselves where did 14 of their votes go to:

96 voted
ANC pack had 55 votes
Received 40
3 spoilt ballots

What happened to the other 14?

In other news the hearing involving the top 5 of a parallel regional conference of Mangaung has been postponed to the 5 April after Mathew Phoka who is representing the accused asked for pre-trial.

The hearings were scheduled for this week.

This is a developing story.

If you have any news or tips please email us at news@stepupsanews.co.za or WhatsApp 0685000246