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The ANC has lost a battle against reinstating a member to its list of those who were supposed to be headed to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
The Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday dismissed the party’s leave to appeal a judgement that was won by Ponani Makhubele in May.
The ANC has also been ordered to pay Makhubele’s legal fees.
The former Greater Giyani municipality councilor told City Press that she was “relieved” that a ruling was made in her favour after the 7-month long battle.
“The ANC fought against the apartheid regime, fighting about the injustices the regime was subjecting our people to. What the apartheid regime was doing to people then is what the ANC is doing to its members,” she said.
Makhubela said she was ready for any further legal battles the party might pursue.
“I am prepared for anything. For me it is not just to be in a position and deployment, it’s about justice. So whether they take it forward or not, what matters now is that there is a court order. I would not like the ANC to find itself in contempt of the court order,” she said.
She also took to social media to thank her supporters.
“Thanks everyone for standing with me in prayers. I declare strength and heavenly favour, mercy and grace to my legal team,” she said.
Makhubele first filed court papers regarding this matter in April.
Read: ANC member heads to court after name mysteriously removed from list
She blamed her mysterious removal from the list on the battle for the control of the party in the province between two factions – one led by provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane and the other by deputy provincial secretary Basikopo Makamu.
While Lekganyane is seen as a strong backer of premier and provincial chairperson Stanley Mathabatha and President Cyril Ramaphosa, Makamu is said to be close with ANC Limpopo treasurer-general Danny Msiza as well as ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.
After losing the initial court case, the governing party reached an agreement with Makhubele to deploy her in the first available seat or position of the ANC Limpopo’s NCOP delegation.
However, a day later, the ANC filed a notice to appeal the order in the Johannesburg High Court.
“It is not competent nor was it appropriate for the court to grant the order it granted to the applicant without the joinder of the four permanent delegates deployed by the ANC Limpopo province to the NCOP,” the party said in its notice to appeal.
