The ANC is facing a major internal headache after one of its members filed a contempt of court application at the Joburg High Court earlier this month.
Limpopo ANC branch member Ponani Makhubele (in the picture) is accusing the ANC of cocking a snook at the outcome of a deal endorsed by the courts on May 22 last year to deploy her to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
In the court papers filed by Adams & Adams Attorneys that Sunday World has seen, the ANC was directed to secure the appointment of Makhubele as a permanent delegate to the NCOP within 15 days of the order. The ANC was also ordered to pay Makhubele damages worth R1 106 940 within 30 days of the order.
“It is declared that first respondent [the ANC] is liable to pay damages to the applicant and the quantification of those damages is referred to oral evidence.
“The first respondent and any other respondents opposing this application shall bear the costs of this application on attorney and own client scale including the cost of counsel,” reads the papers.
The court papers further cited that should the ANC fail to pay damages to Makhubele and deploy her to the NCOP, the party’s secretary-general, Ace Magashule and provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane, who are also listed as respondents to the application, must be sentenced to three months in prison. The war between Makhubele and the ANC began in April when she filed an urgent court application to challenge her mysterious removal from the candidate list to parliament.
