Oudtshoorn mayor Gordon April says he will not bow to pressure from his political masters, including Marius Fransman.
|||Cape Town - Oudtshoorn mayor Gordon April - facing charges of theft and intimidation - says he will not bow to pressure from his political masters, including ANC provincial chairman Marius Fransman.
“I’m going nowhere,” said April on Wednesday.
April, pictured, denied he had agreed to step down as mayor at the next council meeting, set to be held in the Klein Karoo town tomorrow.
Last month Fransman said April had agreed to be replaced after a meeting with regional party leaders and members of Oudtshoorn’s ANC caucus.
On the night of the meeting, Fransman was rescued by his bodyguard and police from an attack by an angry mob.
At the time, Fransman said the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) had decided to demote April because he faced charges of theft, intimidation and had allegedly used municipal resources for personal use.
But on Wednesday, April said he was “going nowhere” as he had “done nothing wrong”.
“I don’t know what the ANC’s provincial leadership is telling the media - I am still the mayor and will continue being the mayor. I haven’t tendered my resignation and there is no motion from the ANC caucus or anyone else in council to remove me from office.”
April said he enjoyed the job and was “well-liked” by his colleagues.
“No one has a problem with me here, it is the ANC regional leaders that are making all the trouble.
“They want to force me to give their friends and ANC cadres jobs in the municipality without following the proper channels. I will not do it.”
April faces charges of theft, intimidation and the illegal use of a municipal vehicle. He and his co-accused, Raymond Wagenaar, the head of the Oudtshoorn municipality’s storm water department, appeared in court two weeks ago. The case was postponed to June 19.
April is accused of stealing sand and stone which was allegedly delivered to his home in Dysselsdorp by municipal workers in a work vehicle.
Asked about the charges yesterday, April said: “Let the law take its course.”
About the attack on Fransman, April said he was convinced that ANC members were responsible.
“The mob became angry when Fransman said I would be replaced,” he said.
“I was not there at the time, I had already left, but believe that that is what happened. I never instructed anyone to do it and am not behind any attack or plot to kill the provincial chairman. The police will have to investigate that.”
clayton.barnes@inl.co.za
Cape Argus