The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State has fired 14 councillors in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality for misconduct.
The councillors include the current Executive Mayor of the municipality, Gilbert Mokotso.
The ANC says the councillors were found guilty of promoting factions within the municipality.
Free State ANC spokesperson Thabo Meeko says the party’s Disciplinary Committee also found that the councillors had contravened the party’s constitution.
“As the result of the suspensions their deployment as the councillors of the ANC is withdrawn the municipal manager must the process of engaging the IEC and declaring those post vacant and the processes of By Elections will have to start”.
Meanwhile, political analyst Dr Sethulego Matebesi says the firing of councillors is suicidal for the ANC.
“I think that will be too dangerous if you look at a pattern of events across South Africa where it is seems as if the opposition parties have stronghold over the ANC if they go to By Elections they might be a possibility that opposition might obtain sits from the ANC”.
