"He has embarrassed the party and now that he has faced disciplinary procedures at council level and been removed from the council, he will now go to a regional disciplinary council," said spokesman Jolidee Matongo.

The decision to remove Nkhasi, the councillor for Ward 28, was made by local government and housing MEC Humphrey Memezi and was welcomed by the ANC in the Johannesburg region, said Matongo.

"The MEC has instructed that a criminal case be opened which will happen in the course of the week," he said.

In 2008, Nkhasi sold land in Diepkloof to the Together As One Church of Christ for R15,000.

After questioning the validity of receipts and letters purportedly confirming the land transfer, the church received an anonymous call warning it to stop building on the land or someone would be killed.

After promising to look into the matter, Nkhasi said the church could no longer buy the land and reimbursed the R15,000. However, the church had already spent R11,000 more on building materials and remained out of pocket.

Nkhasi will face the ANC Johannesburg Region disciplinary committee from February 15 to 17.

Matongo said a by-election would have to be held and that the council was waiting for instruction from the Independent Electoral Commission on available dates.

In the meantime. councillors Neo Mashele and Paul Masemola would act for the ward.