Johannesburg – MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the Free State, Mxolisi Dukwana has gone to the Bloemfontein High Court to apply for the urgent interdict against the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality over the council’s decision to fire erstwhile municipality manager Sellon and replace him with Teboho Maine.
More was removed by the council sitting on 26 January, after he was allegedly appointed by Dukwana and the metro mayor, Mxolisi Siyonzana.
The application was filed on Friday where Dukwana is challenging the council as the first respondent, Speaker Stefani Lockman (Third Respondent) and the acting city manager Maine, who is the fourth respondent.
Maine ascended to position after he was voted in by the council resolution. Lockman has since been suspended by the ANC.
In the court document, Dukwana stated that he intended to make an application to be heard on Wednesday in order to challenge a decision of the council to remove More from the office.
More has since gone back to his old position as a Director of Fleet and Waste Management within the metro after he was yanked off his seat by the council.
The court document reads in part: “The fourth respondent be restrained and interdicted from executing or purporting to execute any functions or related to the office of the City Manager or Acting City Manager of the first respondent.
The special council meeting held by the second respondent in its capacity as the council of the first respondent on 26 January be declared unlawful and invalid and that the appointment of the fourth respondent as Acting City Manager of the first respondent in the meeting referred be declared unlawful, irregular, invalid and void ab initio (Having no legal effect from inception).”
When approached for comment, the municipality’s spokesperson Qondile Khedama said: “All these things that are playing themselves in the public space, are allegations and counter allegations, so the next council meeting will release the full statement that takes communities on board.”
When asked about the suspension of Lockman, Khedama said, “I don’t deal with matters related to political spaces, but I deal with the matters of administration and operations of the City of Mangaung.”
Meanwhile, More is embroiled in the bribery scandal, where a recording of himself which has been heard by Sunday World asking to be bribed by the Bloemfontein businessman, Sylvester Sello.
On Friday, the EFF Mangaung Caucus led by the red beret Chairperson, Gopolang Lipale had opened a case against More for trying to solicit a bribe, and the opposition party had also written a letter to the acting City Manager to suspend More from his position as a director of Fleet and Waste Management within the metro.
In the letter seen by Sunday World, the EFF stated that More should be suspended pending the case opened by the party at Park Road police in light with the allegations of him trying to solicit a bribe from a businessman from Bloemfontein.
“As EFF, we have written to the current acting City Manager, Mr. Maine to suspend Mr. More based on the allegations of the recording until he could clear himself.
We want him to be removed from his position within the council with immediate effect in order to avoid intimidation of the people who were within his vicinity when he tried to solicit a bribe.
Based on the seriousness of these allegations, More should be removed from the metro while investigations are continuing,” said Lipale.
More is heard asking Sello if he owned his company alone or had partners.
“Are you alone in your business, I want to speedy up your things. I want to take you on your offer that you have spoken to me about.
There are interested parties, but I won’t mention any names, you know these politics. I need some contribution between today and Wednesday.
There are people that I take care of them, you understand me I believe. I don’t want you to kill yourself, but look at what you could afford,” More could be heard saying.
When responded to Sunday World More said, “Dear sir, I would strongly suggest that you don’t publish that hearsay.
The issue is with my lawyers currently. You can contact my lawyer,” said More.
More’s lawyer said Mkhosi Radebe said, “Our client will answer all pertinent questions at the appropriate forum.
We have instructions to accentuate and reiterate our client vehemently denies the allegations. Our client’s rights are reserved.”
When contacted Sello said, “This thing you are talking about needs you to send me questions so that I can respond to you.”
However he failed to respond to the questions sent.
Dukwana did not respond to the questions sent to him, and his spokesperson, Mimi Mokgothu referred us to the ANC in the province to answer all related questions.
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