The Pietermaritzburg High Court granted an interim interdict reinstating two councillors expelled by the IFP on suspicion of voting with the ANC.
|||Durban - The two councillors expelled last month by the IFP on suspicion of voting with the ANC at the inaugural meeting of the eDumbe Municipality, have received a court reprieve from the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
This was after councillors, Duduzile Princess Masondo and Nyanga Doctor Ndlangamandla launched a court application opposing their summary expulsion.
They were granted an interim interdict, which has reinstated them to their positions as public representatives, but the IFP is opposing the interdict.
The IFP had, at the time of the pair’s expulsion, claimed they had defied a party resolution to work with the DA and EFF in the elections of office-bearers in “hung” municipalities.
The votes of the IFP and DA in the eDumbe council equal those of the ANC, but the ruling party surprisingly won votes from the opposition councillors in order to take control of the council.
On Wednesday, the IFP and the two councillors confirmed the pair were reinstated pending finalisation of the court case.
However, IFP chairman, Blessed Gwala, was adamant that his party would meet the councillors in court.
Gwala said the councillors’ reinstatement was shortlived as his party would have to follow procedures in expelling the two from the party.
“The court can’t deploy them for five years. They do not represent the court,” he said.
He insisted that only the IFP could deploy councillors to serve on municipalities.
Ndlangamandla said he had been informed about the interim interdict by his lawyer.
“I am very hurt by this issue as I do not know where it came from for people to accuse and swear at me like this”, he said.
Masondo said she was already continuing with her work as a councillor and that the saga has not affected her in any way.
Daily News