Chairs were flying, and chaos erupted at the Phuthaditjhaba multipurpose hall in Qwaqwa, Free State, where the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung council was sitting to hear the motion of no confidence against ANC Mayor, Malekula Melato.
Sunday World can reveal that Melato was ousted as mayor on Thursday, after her failed attempt to stop the motion from taking place. Earlier in the week, she applied for an interdict at the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein. The court struck the application from the roll.
Violence erupted at council meeting
Violence broke out at the council meeting when two men, one of whom was armed with a knife, entered the hall and started trashing it.
Shocking scenes unfolded as chairs started flying, forcing councillors to take cover.
When the motion of no confidence was tabled, ANC councillors asked to be excused from the meeting for 20 minutes to caucus, and get a mandate from party leaders in the province and Luthuli House.
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When the motion of no confidence was tabled, ANC councillors asked to be excused from the meeting for 20 minutes to caucus, and get a mandate from party leaders in the province and Luthuli House.
Parties continued meeting without ANC
The ANC breakaway meeting took longer than expected, and ANC Council Speaker, Mandlenkosi Dlamini, returned from outside, and immediately exited the meeting.
Opposition parties, including the EFF, MAP16 and SARKO, then elected an interim speaker, Mojalefa Naledi.
Naledi, a MAP16 councillor, tabledthe motion of no confidence against Melato.
New Maluti-a-Phofung mayor controversially elected
After the motion succeeded, and Melato was ousted, a new mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung, MAP16 leader and councillor, Paratlane Motloung, was elected.
He had previously held the speaker position in the same municipality.
MAP16 leader Paratlane Motloung was elected mayor of troubled Maluti-A-Phofung following a chaotic motion of no confidence against ousted ANC mayor Malekula Melato / The Guard
Before Motloung was elected, DA councillors staged a walkout. EFF, SARKO, MAP16 and ACM councillors voted to oust Melato, and elevated Motloung to the position.
‘No meeting quorum’
One of the councillors told Sunday World said that it was very strange that the council elected Motloung.
“You must understand that the coalition walked out of that meeting, and this included five DA councillors who also staged a walk out. In that regard based on terms of the rules, the meeting collapses as it does not quorate. There were 36 councillors forming a quorum, however, 31 voted, and in that regard, the meeting did not quorate,” said the councillor.
‘Melato refused to resign’
ANC insiders said that before Melato was ousted, she was told to resign to spare her the embarrassment. She however refused to do so, claiming that she needed to first get the go ahead from party leaders in the province and national.
“We were told by the ANC leadership in the province that we should not vote Malekula out, and if we did so, we were going to be dealt with harshly. We were told that if we were to vote with the opposition, we would be expelled from the party, and this is where we asked to be given 20 minutes to caucus and encourage Malekula to resign as we did not want to find ourselves in trouble with our beloved ANC, but she refused. This is where the opposition took an advantage of our absence in the meeting and sent Malekula packing,” said one of the ANC councillors.
DA councillors walked out
DA leader in Maluti-A-Phofung, Alison Oates said that her party sat for the motion to be tabled but opted to walk out when the nomination and appointment of the new mayor was made.
“The nomination and appointment of the new mayor was not on the agenda, and we could not sit in that process, hence the DA walked out when that happened. We also condemned the action of violence where two thugs got into the venue and caused chaos,” said Oates.
‘Motloung was elected unlawfully’
AIC leader, Harry Mdakane said that his party is still in the coalition with the ANC despite the ousting of Melato.
“AIC, Dikwankwetla and ANC did not vote in that motion of no confidence. We hear what was tabled, however, we needed this motion of no confidence to be debated, and we did not get that opportunity. We say that Paratlane was not elected in a proper way. When Paratlane was installed, the quorum was not quorating. When Paratlane was installed, that was done unlawfully as those who voted were 31, instead of 36. The removal of Malekula was done lawfully though,” said Mdakane.
‘Melato failed residents of Maluti-A-Phofung’
ACM leader, Mandla Holley condemned the violence that erupted during the meeting and pointed out that his party had initially wanted Melato to be ousted. He said that she had compromised the municipality and failed the residents of Maluti-A-Phofung.
“What we witnessed there was an eyesore as there were two people who stormed the hall and started tearing everything apart while throwing chairs and turning tables upside down. This was very disappointing to witness. Initially we wanted Malekula to be removed as she had failed to work for the people of Maluti-A-Phofung, and we voted her out with other opposition parties,” said Holley.
Melato declined to comment.
