Cape Town - ANC MPL Danville Smith has stepped aside in line with the party’s NEC step-aside resolution, following allegations of corruption against him.
Last month Smith appeared at the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and was released on a warning.
Smith’s court appearance came in the wake of a long-running Hawks investigation into irregularities at the Cederberg Municipality where he served as speaker until 2016. The investigation report alleges that Smith was involved in various corruption scandals.
Smith has denied the allegations and is due back in court on May 19. Yesterday he said he would be holding a news conference on the issue on Thursday.
Announcing that Smith, who has been the provincial ANC local government spokesperson, had stepped aside, the party’s provincial convener, Lerumo Kalako, said: “The ANC in the Western Cape fully supports the decisions of the NEC on step aside, including its terms and conditions.
“We will follow a thorough process in implementing the step-aside policy. In this, we will be guided by fairness. We will not conduct a witch hunt. However, we urge those members who believe that they are affected to step aside.
“Already MPL Danville Smith has taken this route. We encourage others who find themselves in similar situations to follow his lead.”
Earlier, leader of the provincial opposition, Cameron Dugmore (ANC), had responded to DA acting provincial leader Albert Fritz, who had called on him to ask Smith to step aside in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement in April, that ANC members who are charged with corruption must step aside from their roles.
Dugmore said: “The ANC’s interim provincial committee is dealing with the implementation of the step-aside resolution in the province. All members of the ANC, including public representatives, are subjected to the resolution without fear or favour.”
The ANC has over 60 members who have been charged with or are facing allegations of committing serious crimes, all of whom are expected to step aside.