High Court rules in favour of DA in Tlokwe

The Democratic Alliance is elated about the North Gauteng High Court decision in which the former Tlokwe Mayor Maphetle Maphetle and Speaker Barei Segotso's application to have the Tlokwe Council's motion of no-confidence was rejected with costs - to be carried by the applicants (Maphetle and Segotso) in person.

In his judgement Judge Tuchten castigated the ANC for not using democratic means after they became a minority party in the Tlokwe Council in Potchefstroom. He referred to the Maphetle-group in their illegal occupation of the municipal offices as squatters. 

It is obvious that the ANC's illegal occupation of the Tlokwe Council offices for a month , had no legal basis and was intended to frustrate not only the elected DA Mayor, Annette Combrink, and her team, but also in an act of defiance, the community of Potchefstroom.

It is indicative of a belligerent ANC's regard for the Rule of Law and the Constitution when the loss of power and the control of financial resources are inevitable.

The DA mayoral team, led by Mayor Annette Combrink, will be claiming their legitimate places in the municipal offices tomorrow morning bringing stability and delivery back to the Potchefstroom community.

Earlier statement: ANC's forked tongue revealed

While the ANC is contesting the legitimacy of a Council meeting in which their Executive Mayor, Maphetle Maphetle was removed after a motion of no-confidence, they simultaneously submitted a motion of no-confidence in the DA Executive Mayor Annette Combrink. This was done on the 26th July, three days before the judgement in their application was to be handed down.

This vindicates the DA's viewpoint that the ANC's application had no merit, the ANC's occupation of the municipal offices was illegal, intended to cling to power and to control the financial resources of the municipality.

The ANC's simultaneous acceptance and rejection of the legitimacy of the DA's mayor is further indicative of the ANC's disregard for the constitution, legislation and the Municipal Rules of Order and a total disregard for the interests of the community. In their desperate attempts to cling to power no Council or Committee meetings were held and Maphetle claimed his salary as Executive Mayor.

The DA positively awaits the outcome of today's High Court Judgement to install stability and sanity to the Tlokwe Municipality in Potchefstroom

Statements issued by Chris Hattingh, DA Leader in the North West, July 29 2013

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