DA boots councillor for not shaping up

Controversial DA Riverlea/Newclare councillor Lynette Pretorius has had her membership of the party terminated. Photo: Chris Collingridge

Controversial DA Riverlea/Newclare councillor Lynette Pretorius has had her membership of the party terminated. Photo: Chris Collingridge

Published Oct 16, 2014

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Johannesburg - Controversial DA Riverlea/Newclare councillor Lynette Pretorius has had her membership of the party terminated.

There have been a number of violent protests about Pretorius’s performance as a councillor, with residents claiming she does not do her work, that she mistreats and disrespects them, and that she does not attend to their issues in the community and in the ward.

The most recent protests happened in Newclare when residents, protesting about the lack of housing, burnt down the train station.

Pretorius claimed death threats were made against her.

In August, she said she was attacked by Riverlea residents and feared for her life.

She took out a restraining order against three residents and also got six arrested after they had allegedly manhandled her. This led to residents burning tyres and preventing vehicles from entering the area.

Pretorius claimed that the attacks were political as she was the first DA councillor in a traditionally ANC ward.

DA chief whip Graham de Kock, however, said Pretorius was removed from the party because of “incapacity issues”.

He said: “It has been a long process, which started last year. There were numerous complaints from residents about improper behaviour, lack of communication between her, the residents and the city, intolerance and lack of respect issues.

“We did attempt to put interventions in place to assist and capacitate her, and we even allocated a mentor specifically to her, but she had the wrong attitude, often refusing guidance and help.”

The charges were put to Pretorius last month by the DA federal council, but she refused to participate in the process and walked out.

Her membership of the party was terminated, which means she can no longer serve as a councillor.

De Kock said only the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs had the powers to fire a ward councillor, as they were elected, so that was why her membership of the party was suspended and she wasn’t fired as a councillor.

“She can stand again as an independent or represent another party. We have informed the IEC (Electoral Commission of SA) that Pretorius is no longer a councillor and a date for a by-election will have to be set,” he added.

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