Potchefstroom-The ANC served court papers on 48 Tlokwe municipal councillors on Wednesday, following mayor Maphetle Maphetle’s unseating, the DA said.

North West Democratic Alliance leader Chris Hattingh said the documents were served on 26 ANC councillors, 19 DA, and two Freedom Front Plus councillors, and one of the Congress of the People.

Maphetle and Tlokwe speaker Barei Segotso filed the papers in the High Court in Pretoria.

Hattingh said the DA would respond to the application on behalf of its councillors, and was considering a counter-application.

“While we proceed with our efforts to end Maphetle and his former mayoral committee’s illegal occupation of the municipal offices, we will also continue with our planning and endeavours to have the Tlokwe municipality restored back to delivery mode.”

On Monday, African National Congress North West acting secretary Gordon Kegakilwe said the party had filed papers.

The ANC wanted last week’s council meeting, at which DA councillor Annette Combrink was voted in as mayor, nullified. The ANC did not recognise Combrink as mayor and said Maphetle still held the post.

Combrink was voted in as the new mayor last Tuesday, the second time since November, unseating Maphetle.

Hattingh said at the time that 29 councillors of all parties, including the ANC, unanimously voted to return Combrink to the position of mayor.

Last Wednesday, the North West ANC’s provincial disciplinary committee expelled from the party 14 of its councillors who voted to unseat Maphetle. They were also removed as Tlokwe councillors.

At a provincial working committee meeting in Potchefstroom on Monday the ANC appointed six new proportional representation councillors for the municipality.

By-elections would be held soon to elect new ward councillors.

Sapa