Riyaz Patel
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will approach the courts over Thursday’s decision by the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to suspend the former Speaker of the City of Johannesburg for three months without pay, and the Speaker of the City of Tshwane for six months.
MEC Lebogang Maile said Vasco Da Gama in Johannesburg and Katlego Mathebe in Tshwane breached the Code of Conduct as outlined in the Municipal Systems Act, Schedule 1, and invoked item 14(6) which states that the MEC may suspend or remove a councillor from office.
Maile said his decisions in respect to both councillors was consistent with the law and impartial to avoid accusations of tilting the balance of forces in councils to favour a particular political party.
“It is important to note that these decisions are based on strengthening local government by ensuring those elected into positions of responsibility carry out their work in the best interest of the electorate,” Maile said a media briefing.
“This cannot be done without getting a council resolution,” the DA hit back.
“The DA will not give in to the bullying tactics of MEC Maile. We have instructed our lawyers to approach the courts on an urgent basis to review this illegal move. We have also written to the MEC to invite him to retract his unlawful decision, failing which we will apply for a personal and punitive cost order against Maile.”
The DA added that “the ANC is a self-serving organisation and only uses and abuses the law when it is beneficial to them.”
The party said the ANC was selective when it came to disciplining errant councillors, and gave to examples to back their claim.
“When former Emfuleni Mayor, Simon Mofokeng was accused of spending more than R1.7 million of public money on KFC, Nandos and hotels he was not fired or suspended for misconduct.“
“Moreover, the former Mayor of eThekwini, Zandile Gumede who has been implicated in fraud and corruption was also not removed from office or suspended under clause 14(6). There are many such instances, including the new Mayor of Johannesburg Geoff Makhubo.”
The ANC’s “selective application of the law” applied only to DA councillors, shows its transparent hypocrisy and emphasizes that they care not for residents, but rather for their own narrow interest to attain “power at all costs.”
