The African National Congress (ANC) in the North West has accepted the the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) decision to overturn the expulsion of its 14 Tlokwe councillors, it said on Saturday.

“The ANC in the North West notes, accepts, respects and unreservedly embrace the NDC decision to reinstate the membership of the 14 members in Tlokwe,” spokesperson Kenny Morolong said in a statement.

Committee chair Derek Hanekom announced on Saturday that the councillors have been reinstated.

The ANC’s provincial executive committee had only charged the councillors who voted in a motion of no confidence against Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle seven months after the date of the alleged misconduct, Hanekom said in a statement.

“This was in contravention of the ANC constitution which provides that charges must be instituted within three months.

“Based on this procedural irregularity, the councillors were found not guilty.”

In July, the 14 councillors were found guilty on four counts of misconduct by the ANC’s North West provincial disciplinary committee (PDC) and were expelled from the party.

The councillors were charged for participating in a motion of no confidence against Maphetle in November last year which resulted in the mayor being replaced by Democratic Alliance councillor Annette Combrink.

They were also charged for failing to endorse the appointment of the municipal manager in June this year.

Hanekom said the NDC found that the evidence brought forward by the councillors for not supporting Maphetle were “possibly true”.

Morolong said the party would engage with the reinstated members, branches in Tlokwe to communicate the decision of the NDC.

“We urge all members and supporters of the ANC in Tlokwe to respect the decision of the NDC.”

SAPA