The speaker of the Mangaung metro, Lawrence Mathae, is facing investigation.
- ANC probes Lawrence Mathae after five workers claim they were fired for backing his rival.
- Mathae’s camp allegedly caused violence at the Mangaung conference after preliminary results showed them losing.
- Mbalula has ordered the Free State ANC to investigate and report back by May 10.
- For more politics, click HERE.
The speaker of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has been placed under investigation by the ANC after he allegedly fired five municipal employees for backing his rival at a bruising regional conference that descended into violence.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has written to Free State Provincial Secretary Polediso Motsoeneng, ordering an urgent probe into Lawrence Mathae – the speaker of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality – demanding a written report back by no later than 10 May.
READ: ANC, Mbalula abandon legal bid to hold Eastern Cape elective conference
The letter, which City Press has seen, dated 4 May, and distributed to senior ANC national office-bearers, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, sets out serious allegations of political victimisation against Mathae.
According to the letter and its annexures, five employees – Mangi Shounyane, Nqamile Nxangisa, Tseliso Mokoai, Tsietsi Tekete and Dineo Motlhabane – were allegedly dismissed with immediate effect for supporting Vusi Soqhaka at the ANC Mangaung regional conference.
ANC secretary general Fikile-Mbalula instructs the provincial structure to investigate Lawrence Mathae.
One of the complainants, Motlhabane, identified herself as an ANC regional task team member in Mangaung and an employee in Mathae’s office. She stated that she was dismissed for not voting for him and appealed directly to Mbalula’s office to intervene.
Mbalula’s office has cited several potential violations of ANC organisational rules, including rule 25.17.1 (acting in breach of the membership oath), rule 25.17.5 (conduct that brings the ANC into disrepute), rule 25.17.9 (abuse of elected or employed office for undue advantage), and rule 25.17.10 (participating in organised factional activity that threatens ANC unity).
Mbalula’s letter instructs Motsoeneng to allow Mathae an opportunity to respond before any findings are made.
READ: Free State ANC disputes Mbalula’s claim it only has 2 branches in good standing
City Press understands that Mathae supporters incited delegates at the Mangaung Regional Conference to violence after his camp started losing the vote.
The conference, held to elect new regional leadership, turned violent when Mathae’s faction realised it was losing ground.
“The preliminary results indicated that Soqhaka and Paseka Nompondo’s faction was winning the conference. Mathae’s camp started causing havoc – chairs were hurled across the conference hall,” a source said.
The source added that the group introduced fraudulent ballot papers into the ballot boxes.
It was a mess because the ballot boxes were damaged, making it impossible to separate the genuine ballot papers from the fake ones.
Source
Following the violence, the conference was postponed indefinitely, and Mathae allegedly moved against officials who had supported Soqhaka, dismissing them from their positions.
Meanwhile, another ANC regional conference – at the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district in North West – was interdicted midway after delegates challenged both the legitimacy of the conference and the credentials of some of those attending.
The conference was adjourned, and the losing faction subsequently filed an appeal.
Sources say Mbalula, who is said to have attended a virtual briefing on the failed conference on Monday, was aware of proceedings.
At the time of publication, Lawrence Mathae had not responded to a request for comment.
