DA to take MEC Maile to court for political harassment

23 January 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns today’s decision by Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile, to suspend the former Speaker of the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Vasco Da Gama for three months without pay, and the Speaker of the City of Tshwane, Councillor Katlego Mathebe for six months.

According to MEC Maile, the councillors breached the Code of Conduct as contained 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. This cannot be done without getting a council resolution.

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.

MEC Maile’s actions highlights what South Africans already know: that the ANC is a self-serving organisation and only uses and abuses the law when it is beneficial to them.

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.

Issued by John Steenhuisen, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 23 January 2020