The DA has dismissed allegations that it helped to orchestrate an attack on ANC provincial chairman Marius Fransman.
|||Cape Town - The DA has dismissed as “stupid” allegations by ANC provincial chairman Marius Fransman that it helped to orchestrate an attack on him following a meeting in Oudtshoorn in April.
On Monday, Fransman questioned whether the attack on him and other provincial executive members was part of the DA’s “early strategy” to take control of the Klein Karoo town.
This comes after the DA, supported by five rebel ANC councillors, ousted ANC mayor Gordon April in a motion of no confidence during a council meeting last Friday.
Fransman likened the takeover to a coup d’état.
He said the motion of no confidence in Speaker John Stoffels, April and his deputy Vlancio Donson was “invalid” and had to be signed by the majority of councillors at least six days before the council meeting last week.
The DA dismissed the claims, saying its action was above board and that the motion was accepted with a 17-0 vote.
April was back in his office on Monday and appointed a new mayoral committee, while the DA spent the evening consulting its lawyers to obtain an urgent interdict preventing the ANC from continuing to run the municipality.
“The question that the DA, and (the DA’s deputy provincial leader) Theuns Botha in particular, must answer, is: was the attack that evening also part of their plan for takeover?” Fransman said.
“We know that some of our councillors were involved. What we didn’t know was if the DA and Botha had a hand in it and what that role was.
“That question remains unanswered. It also remains to be clarified whether he already, in the week of that attack, had meetings with the ANC councillors.”
Fransman, who is also Deputy Minister of International Relations, had to be rescued by his bodyguard from an attack by an angry mob outside a municipal building in Oudtshoorn in April. Fransman was in the town to give the mayor, April, his marching orders.
April faces charges of theft, intimidation and the illegal use of a municipal vehicle.
On Friday, DA councillors Chris MacPherson, Ben van Wyk and Felicity Magxaka were appointed as Speaker, mayor and deputy mayor respectively.
Five of the ANC councillors, and the one Cope councillor, voted with the DA.
After the council meeting, the five ANC councillors who supported the motion to have April removed resigned and joined the DA.
Botha said the councillors only recently approached the DA with their intent. “I don’t even want to respond to Fransman’s aspersions that the DA was behind the attack on him. It’s just stupid of him to say that,” Botha said.
“Fransman is the father of his own troubles. The DA has taken control of Oudtshoorn and we will conduct a full audit on all appointments.
“We believe appointments of ANC cadres were made without the correct processes being followed.”
During the council meeting last week, the DA suspended several ANC municipal officials pending disciplinary hearings.
April said Stoffels would approach the Western Cape High Court today to seek relief and set aside the decisions of Friday’s council meeting.
clayton.barnes@inl.co.za
Cape Argus