The ANC in the province has intensified its call for two mayors, who were elected outside the party’s mandate to resign by Monday or risk facing disciplinary action.

The two are Phaladi Saku of the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality and Africa Thale at the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality in Zeerust.

Saku and Thale were not on the list of nominated mayors but were elected after councillors at the respective councils defied party directives during the first sitting post the 2011 local government elections.

The ANC had put forward the names of Manketsi Tlhape for the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality while Justin Bine was supposed to lead Ramotshere Moiloa.

Saku and Thale have, for over a year, defied party directives to relinquish their positions but the ANC said it had given them enough time.

Provincial ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo announced early this week that efforts were at an advanced stage to correct the wrongs done by councillors. “We remain resolute that the two mayors should clear the way so that we can do things properly. In the case of Saku, we have always indicated that Manketsi Tlhape is the district mayor and that has not changed. We are hopeful that the current mayor would respect organisational processes this time,” he said.

Thale on the other hand would still retain the mayorship but Mahumapelo said he still has to resign first.

“The fact that he was appointed there outside the organisational sanction means he has to resign and get properly elected in council and then becomes a lawful mayor,” he said.

However, by Wednesday, the ANC was still waiting for the two to step down and provincial ANC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong, said “continued defiance” would only invite trouble for them.

“The two mayors should heed the call to step down so that the correct mandate of the ANC finds expression.

“As members of this organisation, they are fully aware of the implications of their continued defiance. The organisation would be left with no choice but to reflect on the next course of action which inevitably would be to commence disciplinary processes,” he said.

It has taken over a year to resolve the impasse owing much to divisions in the ANC provincial leadership.

The two mayors were said to have been linked to a group aligned to suspended ANC provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge but since his suspension in December last year, things appear to be going against them.

Efforts to get comments from the two mayors were unsuccessful.

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