ANC removes Newcastle mayor from IEC candidate list
Newcastle Municipality Mayor Ntuthuko Mahlaba has been taken off the African National Congress' (ANC) candidate list for the upcoming local government elections.
Deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte says the decision, which affects other implicated members as well, was taken in line with the ANC's step aside policy that applies to those facing criminal charges.
Duarte briefed the media on Monday night.
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"The mayor of Newcastle has been removed, who has to step aside. There is also a few other people who were removed from the list. Only the people who appeared in a court of law were removed. A mayor that was arrested apparently today [Monday] was not on the list."
Mahlaba appeared in court last month on charges of theft, damage to property and assault.
The case was postponed to Thursday this week.
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Duarte says the ANC's submitted over 10 000 names to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) before the 9pm deadline and many are young candidates.
"We would have a 25 percent representation of young people in any of the elections where the ANC contests."
