KNYSNA NEWS - The ANC Western Cape provincial leader, Khalid Sayed, has confirmed the temporary suspension of former Knysna mayor Aubrey Tsengwa from the ANC due to what it considers "misconduct".
Tsengwa resigned as councillor on 31 March in the wake of allegations of misconduct pertaining to the appointment of political appointees, which the Western Cape High Court had found to be illegal.
His resignation came shortly before Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of local government, could apply decisions on the special investigation into the conduct of municipal councillors for the appointment of political appointees.
His resignation had the result that a by-election would have to be held in Ward 8.
Tsengwa confirmed in a WhatsApp call that he had received the suspension letter, and had provided reasons why he should not be suspended.
However, he told Knysna Plett Herald that he was waiting for the ANC’s provincial working committee meeting that is sitting today, Thursday 24 April, before commenting.
Ousted
"The ANC confirms the temporary suspension of the acting regional chairperson [Tsengwa] and wishes to guarantee a fair disciplinary process," Sayed said.
Tsengwa was ousted from the position of mayor in February after a third no-confidence motion that came in the wake of the allegations of misconduct.
ANC provincial secretary Neville Delport wrote a letter to Tsengwa last Wednesday that said "his unilateral decision to resign from his ward councillor's seat in the Knysna municipality has the effect of impeding the organisation's activities and undermines the ANC, which constitutes misconduct in terms of our Constitution".
Inopportune
Delport said all deployees to elective office were required to respect the functioning of the structures to which they were deployed, subject to directions from the oversight structures of the organisation.
"We now find ourselves in a situation of having to contest a by-election in the Knysna Municipality, which has been thrust on us at a very inopportune time," said Delport.
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