/ 12 April 1999

ANC COUNCILLORS REVOLT

EIGHT African National Congress councillors in Potgietersrus have incurred the wrath of their stunned party by voting in a New National Party mayor for the Northern Province town. All eight councillors were suspended on Thursday for voting in Ray Bossenger as mayor and defying a party decision in March to re-elect last year’s ANC mayor, Obed Mathiane and his deputy, Rehab Lebelo. “These members have disgraced us by going against an ANC decision that only our members may be voted in as mayor and deputy mayor,” said ANC provincial deputy chairperson, Robert Malavi. The eight ANC members have refused to reverse their decision and have been replaced by eight other ANC members from the party’s proportional lists.