Cape Town - The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) is profiting off of the internal chaos of the beleaguered Swellendam Municipality after one of their councillors was elected Speaker on Tuesday.
Juan van Schalkwyk replaced Bongani Sonqwenqwe who was ousted from the DA after he and two other councillors voted against a caucus decision.
In December, Weekend Argus broke the story. Abraham Pokwas, Sonqwenqwe and Mangcu-Qotyiwe were left without jobs as councillors and a political home after the blue party’s highest decision-making body, FedEx approved the cessation of their memberships.
The DA’s communications director, Richard Newton, at the time, confirmed that the party decided it’d be best to part ways with the trio.
“They voted against a caucus decision and thus their membership ceased. FedEx did not approve their application for re-admission,” said Newton. Asked what decision was voted against, Newton didn’t respond.
When Weekend Argus asked Swellendam mayor Francois du Rand what his thoughts on the election of Van Schalkwyk are, he only said: “You need to do what you need to do.”
The DA’s interim leader in the Western Cape, Tertius Simmers told Weekend Argus: “The DA Western Cape takes note of developments during today's Swellendam council meeting.”
Van Schalkwyk said: “I am humbled by the trust placed in me by my fellow councillors. I plan to use my position to champion the cause of the ratepayer and ensure merit is returned as the standard for hiring and tenders.
“As an impartial speaker, I hope to encourage more consensus in council. Leading to a unified focus on innovative solutions and a determination to cost save, and spend limited funds wisely, which is critical to ensuring a prosperous future for the unique residents of Swellendam.”
In the meantime, Sonqwenqwe, Mangcu-Qotyiwe and Pokwas filed papers in the Western Cape High Court to challenge their “unlawful expulsion” on Tuesday.
They want their membership reinstated and the letter of cessation of membership by the DA declared null and void, invalid, unlawful and unconstitutional.
The trio are the latest DA members whose memberships were terminated in the Western Cape. This follows the termination of DA leader Masizole Mnqasela last November over allegations he breached the party’s rules.
Mnqasela’s urgent application to challenge his termination was struck off the roll.
FedEx chairperson, Helen Zille previously said as far as the party was concerned, Mnqasela was no longer a DA member.
“As such, he cannot hold any positions that he held as a result of being a DA member,” she said.
The party had also reported allegations of fraud against Mnqasela to the Hawks over abuse of travel and entertainment allowances.
Weekend Argus.