CAPE TOWN - The axe has fallen on rapist Kannaland mayor Jeffrey Donson and his deputy, fraudster Werner Meshoa after opposition parties removed them through a motion of no confidence during a council meeting on Wednesday.
The motion against Donson follows a letter from Rodge Albertus of the Kannaland Independent Party (KIP), which stated that Donson had received negative publicity nationally and internationally which had “directly impacted, and still impacts, on his suitability as a public representative and figure of the Kannaland Municipality and the community”.
Donson however, will still hold a position as ward councillor representing the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) party in the Kannaland Municipality.
Reacting to his removal, Donson told the Cape Times it was the “DA and ANC councillors that had removed three of the party’s councillors”, adding that they did not “explain” why they were being removed.
Donson was convicted of statutory rape and indecent assault while Kannaland mayor in 2008.
Donson said yesterday a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was now set to discuss a way forward.
“The DA and ANC councillors removed our three Icosa councillors. We are going to talk about our next move.Our NEC is next week,” he said.
Icosa provincial leader Dawid Kamfer said Donson and Meshoa’s axing would reflect badly on Kannaland voters.
“They are the people that voted for them. It’s the people that want them in power. They won their wards. The DA and the ANC never won wards in Kannaland. The DA and the ANC love each other so much. Their love is unstoppable, and that is what happened at the meeting today.
“We respect what happened and in the next two weeks we will have an NEC meeting to discuss a way forward between the parties, because we also have a coalition in Oudtshoorn,” Kamfer said.
Human rights defender and anti-gender-based violence activist, Zona Morton said Donson’s continued employment as mayor had been “an abuse of power”
“My first response when I was following this case was that he raped a minor during the time when he was in a position of mayor. That in itself is an abuse of power. Then that same abuse was empowered by his sentence being reduced.
“He was convicted… This matter allowed GBV and specially child rape to reach a stage where a law was passed that 12 old children can consent.
“This has led us to sit with the high number of child pregnancies,” said Morton.
Philisa Abafazi Bethu founder Lucinda Evans said it was a bittersweet day for women in the country.
“A vote of no confidence had to be done for a convicted rapist to be ousted. GBV in the country is the genocide against our bodies and yet our government has allowed this man to be in this position.
“We have much more work to do to keep the government accountable when a convicted and listed rapist comes in and has access to our bodies,“ she said.
Opposition parties welcomed the removal, with DA Constituency Head for Kannaland, Gillion Bosman claiming: “Since Icosa has been in power they have made several illegal appointments and have also used municipal resources for party political purposes.”
EFF provincial spokesperson Wandile Kasibe said Donson should never have been in the position in the first place.
“EFF Western Cape accepts the removal of the former Executive Mayor of Kannaland, Jeffrey Donson, a convicted rapist. He should never have been in that position in the first place. We cannot have people who are convicted of such serious crimes presiding over the affairs of our people,” Kasibe said.
ANC head of communications, Sifiso Mtsweni said: “The long-standing position of the ANC which has been well communicated is that our ANC councillors should not enter any coalitions/agreements in Kannaland after we pulled out of the coalition with Icosa.”
Additional reporting by Chevon Booysen
Cape Times