African People Movement (Apemo) president and Okhahlamba mayor Vikizitha Mlotshwa called for party unity ahead of the 2024 general elections after fighting off his expulsion.
The Pietermaritzburg high court on Wednesday granted interim relief interdicting the termination of Mlotshwa’s party membership and the suspension of the five other members of the national executive committee.
Mlotshwa’s expulsion from the party would have seen him removed as a councillor in Okhahlamba local municipality and, subsequently, as mayor.
Former deputy president Velemseni Majola and “secretary-general” Balusi Mmakau had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mlotshwa after allegations he was still a member of the National Freedom Party (NFP).
In his founding affidavit, reinstated secretary-general Mpiyakhe Hlatshwayo said Apemo was formed in 2021 by NFP defectors, with Sithabiso Sihlako named as its first leader. Sihlako stepped down and handed the reins to an interim NEC in June 2022 with Mlotshwa named as its president and Majola the deputy president.
“The sole mandate of the interim structure was to facilitate and manage the party national elective conference/congress to be held within a reasonable time. The interim structure failed to execute on this mandate,” he said.
That structure was disbanded by the party’s national general council (NGC) and replaced by the new leadership during a special elective national congress on December 15 and 16, with only Mlotshwa retaining his position as president.
The new structure comprised Hlatshwayo as the SG, Nicholas Hlongwane as deputy president, Bongani Xulu as national chairperson, Thulile Msibi as DSG and Lindiwe Mzolo as treasurer-general.
However, Majola and Mmakau seemingly did not recognise those resolutions, with the latter acting as “secretary-general” and the former as deputy president and implementing disciplinary proceedings against the new NEC on December 28.
The “suspended” structure argued Majola and Mmakau were in no position to exercise such powers. Majola had been the deputy president when the party was under the interim NEC, which was disbanded at the December NGC.
Hlatshwayo alleged Majola and Mmakau were working with other parties to destabilise the party before the national elections.
He said the application had been triggered by “unlawful attempts at infiltration and usurpation of political power” by Majola and Mmakau.
“I say this is an unlawful attempt at usurping political power because these individuals are not at all in the leadership of Apemo but they have managed to undermine the authority of the structures and persuaded a growing number of party members to undermine the authority of the lawfully elected structures for sinister and unlawful ends,” he said.
Reacting to the outcome, Hlatshwayo said the implication of the interdict is that the NEC and all other leaders who were elected in December are in power and called for all members to work in unison as the party prepared for the elections.
Hlatshwayo said they would consult the rest of the NEC about possible disciplinary proceedings against Majola and Mmakau.
TimesLIVE
Apemo party president Vikizitha Mlotshwa wards off expulsion, calls for unity ahead of elections
Image: Alistair Russell
African People Movement (Apemo) president and Okhahlamba mayor Vikizitha Mlotshwa called for party unity ahead of the 2024 general elections after fighting off his expulsion.
The Pietermaritzburg high court on Wednesday granted interim relief interdicting the termination of Mlotshwa’s party membership and the suspension of the five other members of the national executive committee.
Mlotshwa’s expulsion from the party would have seen him removed as a councillor in Okhahlamba local municipality and, subsequently, as mayor.
Former deputy president Velemseni Majola and “secretary-general” Balusi Mmakau had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mlotshwa after allegations he was still a member of the National Freedom Party (NFP).
In his founding affidavit, reinstated secretary-general Mpiyakhe Hlatshwayo said Apemo was formed in 2021 by NFP defectors, with Sithabiso Sihlako named as its first leader. Sihlako stepped down and handed the reins to an interim NEC in June 2022 with Mlotshwa named as its president and Majola the deputy president.
“The sole mandate of the interim structure was to facilitate and manage the party national elective conference/congress to be held within a reasonable time. The interim structure failed to execute on this mandate,” he said.
That structure was disbanded by the party’s national general council (NGC) and replaced by the new leadership during a special elective national congress on December 15 and 16, with only Mlotshwa retaining his position as president.
The new structure comprised Hlatshwayo as the SG, Nicholas Hlongwane as deputy president, Bongani Xulu as national chairperson, Thulile Msibi as DSG and Lindiwe Mzolo as treasurer-general.
However, Majola and Mmakau seemingly did not recognise those resolutions, with the latter acting as “secretary-general” and the former as deputy president and implementing disciplinary proceedings against the new NEC on December 28.
The “suspended” structure argued Majola and Mmakau were in no position to exercise such powers. Majola had been the deputy president when the party was under the interim NEC, which was disbanded at the December NGC.
Hlatshwayo alleged Majola and Mmakau were working with other parties to destabilise the party before the national elections.
He said the application had been triggered by “unlawful attempts at infiltration and usurpation of political power” by Majola and Mmakau.
“I say this is an unlawful attempt at usurping political power because these individuals are not at all in the leadership of Apemo but they have managed to undermine the authority of the structures and persuaded a growing number of party members to undermine the authority of the lawfully elected structures for sinister and unlawful ends,” he said.
Reacting to the outcome, Hlatshwayo said the implication of the interdict is that the NEC and all other leaders who were elected in December are in power and called for all members to work in unison as the party prepared for the elections.
Hlatshwayo said they would consult the rest of the NEC about possible disciplinary proceedings against Majola and Mmakau.
TimesLIVE
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