The General Secretary of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Samonyane Ntsekele has filed an urgent application at the High Court suing, among others, Professor Nqosa Mahao. Ntsekele is suing Professor Mahao, Samuel Rapapa, Lebohang Hlaele, Montoeli Masoetsa and ‘Matebatso Doti for passing themselves off as and or purporting to be members or office bearers of ABC’s NEC. He also drags along in his application the Commissioner of Police, the Minister of Police, the Minister of Local Government and the Attorney General among the respondents. According to his notice of motion, Ntsekele wants the respondents, who are all ordinary members of the party, to tell the court why it cannot individually and or collectively order them to desist from passing themselves off and or purporting in any manner or form whatsoever to be members or office bearers of ABC’s NEC at any forum or rally, be it political or otherwise that they may participate in, hold or be invited to attend. Ntsekele  wants them to be interdicted. Ntsekele also asks the Commissioner of Police to tell the court why he cannot be ordered to refrain from and be interdicted from issuing and or causing to be issued police permits in terms of the law allowing and permitting the first to the fifth respondents and or any members of ABC to hold rallies which have not been authorised by the party’s NEC or any other relevant structure of the party with immediate effect. As for the Minister of Police, Ntsekele wants him to show cause, if any, why he could not be ordered to exercise all his requisite legal powers and authority over the Commissioner of Police to ensure that no permits are issued by the Commissioner from the first to the fifth respondents and or any other members of ABC to hold rallies which have not been authorised by the party’s NEC or any other relevant structure of the party with immediate effect. Ntsekele also wants the Minister of Local Government to tell the court why he cannot be ordered to exercise all his powers to prevail upon the relevant chieftainship structures from granting authority to and or permitting the respondents and or any members of ABC to hold rallies which have not been authorised by the party’s NEC or any other relevant structure of the party with immediate effect. The application is expected to be moved before court on Friday this week. Advocate Thulo Hoeane represents Ntsekele in this application. Meanwhile, in his certificate of urgency, Advocate Hoeane wants the court to hear this application on an urgent basis as the continued act by the respondents of passing themselves off as office bearers of ABC’s NEC is unlawful. He adds if left unchecked this has the potential to fuel or cause violence between themselves and their followers on the one hand, and the general membership of the party, consequently damaging the good name and integrity of the party. Lena