By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – The High Court of South Africa (Free State Division) has dealt a sharp blow to embattled councillor Paratlane Andries Motloung, striking his urgent application off the roll and clearing the way for a decisive council showdown in Maluti-A-Phofung.
In a ruling delivered in Bloemfontein, the court found that Motloung’s bid to halt a crucial Special Council sitting lacked urgency — effectively allowing the municipality’s contested political processes to proceed unhindered.
Motloung, who claims legitimacy as Executive Mayor following a chaotic and disputed council sitting, had sought an urgent interdict to block the April 8 meeting, arguing it would entrench unlawful decisions.
But the court was unmoved, refusing to entertain the matter on an urgent basis.
The application — lodged against 16 respondents, including Free State Cooperative Governance MEC Saki Mokoena and the municipal council — is the latest flashpoint in a spiralling leadership battle that has paralysed governance in the troubled municipality.
With the case struck off, the path is now clear for the high-stakes council sitting to go ahead — a meeting that could have the municipality’s leadership and shift the balance of power.
The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs welcomed the ruling, doubling down on its stance that intervention in the municipality is both lawful and necessary.
The department insists it is acting within its constitutional mandate to stabilise governance.
Officials have previously described the council meeting that elevated Motloung as riddled with chaos, procedural breaches and outright disruption.
The MEC has since warned that any further sittings must strictly comply with legislation and council rules — a clear signal that provincial oversight will intensify.
While the court stopped short of ruling on the merits of Motloung’s claims, the decision delivers a significant political setback and raises fresh questions about the durability of his contested leadership.
Maluti-A-Phofung remains gripped by instability, with rival factions locked in a fierce struggle for control.
As the next council sitting looms, the municipality stands on a knife-edge — with governance, legality and political authority all hanging in the balance.
