By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is facing more woes after the membership of three officials was terminated.
The trio said they were ostensibly axed for trying to improve the municipality’s employment equity, but DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said they had violated the party’s key clauses, which ceased their membership.
Former speaker Bongani Sonqwenqwe, deputy mayor Abraham Pokwas, and councillor Gcobisa Mangcu-Qotyiwe who were notified of their suspension last month by Zille, allege that the termination of their membership came after they did not abide by a caucus decision to hold back on advertising for the appointment of a director for corporate services at the municipality.
With the members no longer holding office at the municipality on behalf of the party, municipal manager Anneleen Vorster last month declared their positions as vacancies to the IEC.
“The municipality would like to confirm that these vacancies have no effect on the normal functioning of Swellendam municipality, and all operations will continue as before,” the municipality said in a statement.
They said they were in the process of seeking legal advice and would likely take the matter to court to challenge the constitutionality of the DA’s cessation clause.
However, Zille was adamant that they had violated the DA’s constitution.
“No one was terminated. They cessated their membership by violating key clauses in the DA’s constitution, which mean immediate cessation.
“No one was terminated – and certainly not by Helen Zille. Cessations are confirmed by the federal legal commission, and the party follows their advice to the letter,” she said.
Meanwhile Connie Hariram, a DA councillor in Newcastle, came under fire after she questioned why a black woman, Thandeka Reed, was elected to form part of a ward committee where predominantly Indian people were present.
In a voice note on a community WhatsApp group, Hariram said: “The first thing is that the lady, Thandeka, she is a black lady. We were all Indians there. Who voted for her? The Indians.”
Hariram has admitted guilt and has expressed remorse.