The African National Congress (ANC) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in the Eastern Cape says should Councillor Andile Lungisa refuse to step down from his position, he will be charged with contravening a direct order from the party’s NEC.
It says he will also face an internal disciplinary process.
Lungisa has until Thursday to submit letters to the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature and the ANC Provincial Secretary on why he should not be suspended.
On Tuesday, the ANC in the province suspended Lungisa because of his conviction for an assault incident that occurred during a council meeting in 2016.
Lungisa was sentenced to an effective two years in prison and is currently appealing the sentence in the Supreme Court of Appeals (SCA) in Bloemfontein.
Earlier this month, the ANC NEC announced a resolution that all members facing criminal charges must step aside from their positions.
ANC provincial spokesperson Loyiso Magqashela says, “We [will] have to subject him to a disciplinary process of the ANC should he then not adhere to the directive that we have given him. We do have that power.”
“What then would happen when he resigns, we will then subject him to the disciplinary committee. Then[if] he doesn’t adhere to that which is a directive, we then have to add another charge to say you are further charged for having defied the instruction of the ANC to step down,” explains Magqashela.
In the video below, President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the media after the NEC meeting:
