GEORGE NEWS - George Mayor Melvin Naik's career in the DA has come to an end after the party terminated his membership on Monday, 4 June. Naik was sworn in as mayor shortly after the local elections on 3 August 2016, but was kicked out of the party this week after his palace revolution plot in the George Council was uncovered.
The Federal Legal Commission (FLC) of the DA has given Naik until noon yesterday, Wednesday 6 June to provide reasons why his party membership should be reinstated.
The cessation of his membership means that Naik will not be able to retain his seat in council and therefore also loses the mayoral chain. Naik declined to comment.
Secret meeting
According to a letter from Nicholas Gotsell, manager of the DA FLC, Naik tried to convince a select group of DA councillors to support his plan to overthrow the DA council at a secret meeting at the home of a DA-councillor in Pacaltsdorp on 20 May.
According to Gotsell, Naik tried to convince these councillors to support an opposition vote of no confidence in both Deputy Mayor Charlotte Clarke and Speaker Gerrit Pretorius.
This motion was tabled earlier in May by the ANC and was discussed at the latest council meeting on 31 May. The ANC retracted the motion when it became clear that the vote would have to take place through a public show of hands.
Read more on sister publication, George Herald
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