KNYSNA NEWS - Former Knysna executive mayor Thando Matika has rejected his removal as a councillor and mayor, insisting that he remains legally entitled to occupy his council seat and has not been formally notified of any decision terminating his ANC membership.
Matika made the comments following Wednesday’s ordinary council meeting on 30 September, where Speaker Mark Willemse instructed him to leave the council chamber and join members of the public in the gallery after stating that he was no longer a councillor or mayor.
Matika, who attended the meeting after receiving an official invitation, refused to accept the instruction and disputed the basis for his alleged removal.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Matika said he remained a councillor and the “duly elected Executive Mayor” based on the formal information and records available to him.
He said he had received no letter directly from the ANC informing him that his membership had been terminated or that he had been expelled. Matika also claimed that he had not received formal municipal or statutory communication confirming that his council seat had lawfully become vacant.
He said he had previously asked Willemse to provide the letter relied upon to establish his removal, but that the document shown or forwarded to him was not formal correspondence addressed and served on him.
The municipality has previously stated that it received formal notification from the ANC that Matika was no longer an ANC member and had ceased to be executive mayor. The municipality subsequently treated the mayoral office as vacant, with Deputy Mayor Morton Gericke expected to act pending the election of a new mayor.
Matika disputes this position.
He said he had approached the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to verify his status and was informed that his name remained on its records, while acknowledging that an IEC record alone might not determine all legal questions concerning party membership or his council position.
Matika also referred to his membership of the South African Communist Party (SACP), arguing that the ANC Constitution recognises the SACP as an alliance partner and that dual ANC-SACP membership did not automatically terminate his ANC membership.
He said he had not been served with disciplinary charges, appeared before a disciplinary committee or been formally advised of a disciplinary finding or sanction. Matika said he had consulted his legal representatives and reserved his right to challenge his alleged removal through organisational and legal channels.
The municipality’s current councillor listing records the executive mayoral position as vacant and does not list Matika among serving councillors. The council meeting ultimately collapsed without a quorum.
The ANC Regional Office has been approached for comment on Matika’s statement, specifically his claim that he received no direct notification from the party regarding his alleged removal or termination of membership. No response had been received at the time of publication.
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