ANC suspends North West mayor

"By virtue of his suspension, the respondent [Thale] will no longer be able to represent the applicant [provincial working committee] as the mayor and councillor of the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality and must accordingly vacate his position," the PDC said in its ruling. The muncipality has its seat in Zeerust.

Thale was charged with six counts of misconduct over Rule 25 of the party's constitution, which relates to management of organisational discipline.The matter arose when Thale refused to resign as mayor after the provincial working committee (PWC) asked that he do so because he was not the preferred candidate of the provincial executive committee (PEC) or the national executive committee (NEC).