Supra returns: Supporters launch move to have him reinstated

It won’t be that easy to get rid of Supra Mahumapelo. This is the sentiment shared by those who are rallying behind the former premier of the North West.

Former members of the provincial executive committee (PEC), Aaron Motswana, Mmamonyenyane Maleke, Kutlwano Masibi and Grayn Nicholas have taken the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to the South Gauteng Court, in a bid to have them reinstated, with Supra at the helm once again.

According to reports by the Sowetan, the disgruntled senior leaders want to challenge the legality of their removal.

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PEC lead the front to have Supra Mahumapelo reinstated as NW premier

In August, the NEC disband the PEC and removed Supra Mahumapelo after communities in the province gathered to force the ANC to act on allegations of corruption, fraud and the mismanagement of the North West’s metros.

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The party’s national working committee (NWC)’s recommendation to have the senior leaders of the province removed was what gave birth to the provincial task team (PTT( that is currently overseeing the ANC’s mandate in the North West.

The Sowetan has seen the affidavit and court papers filed by Motswana, who is currently the mayor of the Mamusa local municipality, near Vryburg.

In it, he requested that the PTT’s mandate and operations be halted, pending the outcome of the interdict. The premise of the papers he filed discredit any allegations that the PEC was not functioning in line with the ANC’s vision for the 2019 national general elections.

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Motswana: ‘ANC factionalism was not born in the North West’

He also rubbished claims that the factions within the ruling party arose from the North West.

“It was only in the build-up to the 2017 national conference that the ANC in all provinces, not just the North West, experienced divisions within the party as part of the national leadership race. The North West was not immune to the mood of factionalism that had gripped the organisation”, Motswana wrote.

Motswana cited the ANC’s constitution and according to him, section 12.2.4 clearly states that the NEC is vested with the power to dissolve the PEC as a matter of necessity.

In his view, the disbandment of the PEC was unlawful as the proper processes were not followed. He concluded his conversation with the Sowetan by stating that

“we do not want to divulge information pertaining to our application because the matter is now before the courts and we have requested for it to be set for 23 October.”