Another ANC candidate seeks reinstatement
· Citizen
The High Court in Johannesburg’s ruling reinstating ANC member Andile Lungisa as a legitimate mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay Metro has opened the door for other members to challenge what they allege is manipulation of the party’s candidate-selection process.
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On Friday, the court declared Lungisa’s removal from the ANC’s list unconstitutional, unlawful, invalid and of no force or effect.
The judgment immediately drew interest from other sidelined candidates, among them Gabriel Pakiso Mqikela of the City of Matlosana local municipality in North West, who is challenging his removal as ward councillor.
Undermined?
Mqikela, originally selected by his community as the ANC ward 1 councillor candidate, was replaced by branch treasurer Richardine Kalanie, despite receiving more votes in a community meeting, sparking outrage among the ward 1 branch executive committee (BEC).
Minutes of a BEC meeting on 31 August record the branch’s concern that its constitutional role had been undermined.
The committee argued that the community meeting – attended by about 300 people – had legitimately endorsed Mqikela over Kalanie.
The minutes note that Mqikela signed the candidate acceptance form, witnessed by branch leaders, and that photographs were retained as evidence.
In North West, Mqikela is demanding reinstatement. The ANC, however, claims Kalanie received more votes.
Provincial secretary Louis Diremelo, in an affidavit, said the meeting where Mqikela was chosen took place outside ward 1’s jurisdiction, in ward 2, and therefore did not comply with party guidelines.
Mqikela countered that his name had already appeared on the ANC’s final candidate list and that all internal procedures were followed, a view confirmed by his branch.
‘Parachuted’ candidates
Candidates from wards 20 and 22 in the same municipality are also contesting their replacements, alleging that “parachuted” candidates were irregularly inserted in violation of ANC rules.
Mqikela’s legal team wrote to the ANC in North West on 15 September requesting records of meetings, minutes and resolutions of the extended provincial executive committee and national executive committee, where decisions on candidate lists were made.
He claims the deadline has passed without response, leaving him and his lawyers without the documents needed to test the legitimacy of the decisions.
Diremelo acknowledged the delay in responding.