Senior citizens from Cape Town’s Ward 43 have called for councillor Irma Jackson to be given her marching orders.
|||Cape Town - Residents living in Ward 43 want their councillor expelled for letting down senior citizens.
Last month, the disciplinary committee found Democratic Alliance Councillor Irma Jackson guilty of “bringing a councillor’s name into disrepute”.
She was fined R6 000 and issued a warning after 40 elderly people paid R3 000 for a trip to Durban which did not materialise.
But Baronise Henry, a Strandfontein resident, said the fine was a slap on the wrist.
“Councillor Jackson has not once apologised to the constituents of Ward 43 for her unscrupulous behaviour towards the seniors of the community.
“Did they interview the seniors who were so bitterly disappointed?
“Did they interview the children and/or other relatives and friends of the seniors who had to make several telephone calls and drive up and down after the councillor to recover the monies paid to her?”
Henry said there were still many unanswered questions and that the sentence should not have been so lenient.
“What is the use of a disciplinary committee when disciplinary action amounts to a slap on the wrist, depending on who you are?”
On Facebook, the Proudly Strandfontein group said residents had no faith in their councillor.
“That’s a slap on the wrist! I really do think that we should get the Public Protector to look at this matter because if this were a regular person, they would be charged with fraud, so why should this ward councillor be any different?” wrote Denver Chrystie.
“We, as the residents of Ward 43, have no faith in her.
“She should face the consequences of her actions.”
Gail Small wrote: “I agree with you all and feel she should be removed from her post. How can someone be so dishonest, lead or represent our community?”
Mario Oostendurp, chairperson of the Strandfontein East Ratepayers Association, wrote: “Many residents whom I have spoken to in the Strandfontein East area have requested that the ratepayers association lodge a formal complaint on their behalf.”
Meanwhile, the ANC has written a letter to the Public Protector to investigate the charges brought against Jackson.
In the letter, the ANC asks the public protector to evaluate the due process in respect of objectivity, to evaluate the disciplinary process, to make recommendations and to investigate the conduct of the legal practitioners.
Earlier, Anthea Serritslev, chairperson of the disciplinary committee, said the outcome of the disciplinary hearing had been fair.
She said Jackson had been let down by her travel agent and had not acted for personal gain. - Cape Argus