Supra Mahumapelo could be the Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in the North West by Friday. This is after the High Court in Pretoria ruled that he and the rest of the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) should be reinstated.
Mahumapelo, ousted as Chairperson, and the PEC had taken the ANC to court fighting a 2018 decision to disband the structure. Last week, Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane found that the disbanding was illegal and against the party’s constitution.
“The disbanded PEC is reinstated within two days of this order. The first respondent is ordered to pay the costs of this application. SG (Secretary General) of the ANC, Elias Magashule, is ordered to take compliance with the first order of 6 February 2019,” Judge Setiloane read out the order reinstating Supra Mahumapelo as the ANC Chairperson of the North West, alongside the rest of the Provincial Executive Committee.
However, the order may not be honoured if the ANC manages to go ahead with its intention to appeal. It has since applied for leave to appeal the ruling. The judge believes that if the order is not put into action, the PEC members will be prejudiced.
“If it’s not put into operation, the applicants will be left without any relief and the order granted would become an empty gesture. This, in my view, constitutes exceptional circumstances which justify putting the order into operation. Another exceptional circumstance is that the ANC’s appeal has a very little prospect of success.”
PEC Member Aaron Motswana says now they can begin the work of campaigning for national elections in May.
Click below for more on the story:
