ANC provincial leader Marius Fransman has admitted that the ANC-run Cederberg municipality is in a state of “chaos”.
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ANC provincial leader Marius Fransman has admitted that the ANC-run Cederberg municipality is in a state of “chaos”.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Fransman said the party was “cleaning up the mess” in the Cederberg municipality, which includes the towns of Clanwilliam, Citrusdal and Lambert’s Bay on the West Coast.
Last month, police confirmed that charges had been filed against Cederberg mayor Jonas White for allegedly sending pornographic pictures to his deputy, Lorna Scheepers.
White allegedly offered Scheepers a private trip for the two of them to Durban at municipal expense.
Details were contained in an affidavit submitted by Scheepers to the Western Cape executive committee of the ANC.
At the time, White’s spokesman, Anthony Mlata, said: “The mayor does not recall sending inappropriate messages to any of the citizens in the municipal area in his official capacity.”
On Tuesday, Fransman said the party was “extremely concerned” about Cederberg. The party had launched a disciplinary process against White which would be wrapped up within two to three weeks.
“We are not interested in a witch-hunt, but it is clear to us that there is chaos in Cederberg and it has to be corrected,” Fransman said.
White faces three charges: sexual harassment, financial mismanagement and political interference in the administration.
“These are serious charges and they are all being investigated by us, the Hawks, the auditor-general and the public protector's office.”
Fransman then went on the offensive and said the ANC had revealed its challenges where it governed but the DA was “guilty of cover-ups”.
ANC provincial treasurer Fezile Calana said the DA was “guilty of hiding a lot of things” in the DA-run Mossel Bay municipality.
Mossel Bay’s municipal manager had been accused of mismanagement but the DA caucus had “swept the matter under the carpet”.
“DA mayoral committee member in Mossel Bay Susan Moodie used the K-word and she was given a R10 000 fine. The DA should have fired her.”
Calana was referring to a remark Moodie reportedly made on the phone to a community committee member last May.
She was found guilty of transgressing the party code, fined R10 000 and ordered to make a public apology.
On Tuesday, Theuns Botha, the DA’s deputy provincial chairman, said: “We have to respect the outcome of the disciplinary process. The party had decided to expel her but she took the matter on appeal. She was fined and cannot hold any senior position in council.”
clayton.barnes@inl.co.za
Cape Argus