Staff Reporter
The Free State High Court has ordered the recently appointed Dihlabeng Local Municipality speaker, Eric Motloung, from assuming his new role after the provincial government sought an interdict against the move.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Thembeni Nxangisa sought relief after the ANC-dominated Dihlabeng council elected Motloung, a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), as its speaker last month.
The appointment, said to have even surprised Motloung himself, has been blamed on infighting within the ANC in Dihlabeng.
In seeking the interdict, Nxangisa cited among others that procedure was not followed in the election and the eventual appointment of Motloung to the position of council speaker.
CoGTA spokesperson Zolile Lobe said in a statement the court has ordered Motloung not to carry out any function as speaker of council.
“The court ruled that Mr Motloung be restrained and interdicted from executing or purporting to execute any functions of or related to the office of the speaker of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality,” read part of the statement.
“The court also ruled that he is interdicted from holding himself out as the speaker of the municipality,” added the statement.
The respondents in the court case, who include the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Motloung and the Dihlabeng acting municipal manager, have until January 21, 2021 to oppose the ruling.
Motloung received 18 votes against 13 for ANC councillor Tseki Tseki when council voted by secret ballot on November 30.
In the 39-member council, the ANC holds 25 seats while the DA has eight, the EFF three and the Freedom Front Plus one.
There are two independent councillors.
Dihlabeng includes the towns of Paul Roux, Clarens, Rosendal, Fouriesburg and Bethlehem.
The council lost its speaker following the death of the ANC’s David Lengoabala in September.
