The DA’s coalition partner in the embattled Oudtshoorn Municipality has written a scathing letter to MEC Anton Bredell to question his alleged reluctance to have rape-accused former deputy mayor Mlandeli Nyuka removed from council.
Nyuka’s former political home, Suid-Kaap Saamstaan, wrote to Bredell to have him declare a vacancy in the municipality after they expelled him when he was criminally charged.
He tendered his resignation for the position of deputy mayor while being behind bars in November last year. The resignation came after the Good Party tabled a motion of no confidence against Nyuka.
Nyuka, whose bail application failed, was charged after he was embroiled in an alleged job-for-sex scandal. He allegedly sexually assaulted a 37-year-old assistant in his office on September 27 last year, he then apparently offered her a job.
He was appointed deputy mayor in June after a DA-led coalition, together with the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa and Suid-Kaap Saamstaan, took over control of the council from the ANC.
The municipality previously said a councillor may only be removed and a vacancy declared by the IEC if the person resigned, was removed by Bredell, or was found guilty on criminal charges.
Nyuka forfeited his councillor status after Suid-Kaap Saamstaan terminated his membership.
Suid-Kaap Saamstaan said there was “absolutely” no excuse for Bredell to not declare a vacancy.
“You are hereby instructed to act in terms of item 18(1)(c) by immediately notifying the chief electoral officer that a vacancy has arisen on the municipal council,” read the letter sent to Bredell written by Boqwana Burns, a law firm that acted on behalf of the party.
“The disciplinary action instituted against Nyuka resulted in his membership being terminated and any appeal Nyuka may have had against such a sanction was unsuccessful.
“What makes this even more unconscionable is the fact that he is allowed to retain his position as councillor with his full monthly salary and benefits, despite being held in custody on serious sexual and violent gender-based crimes since early October 2022, naturally not having attended one single council meeting since then.”
Bredell’s spokesperson, Wouter Kriel, confirmed that Bredell received the letter but did not elaborate on whether the MEC would act on the contents of the letter.
This was not the first time had Nyuka bumped heads with the law, according to his sentencing history, seen by “Weekend Argus”.
In 2009 he was sentenced for ordinary assault and a month later for damage to property. In August the same year, he was also sentenced for assault. In 2011 he was sentenced for sexual assault and in 2012 for shoplifting. In 2013 he was also sentenced for shoplifting and ordinary theft. In 2021 he was sentenced for rape.
“Weekend Argus” last year reported that the Suid-Kaap Saamstaan claimed it was “being eaten alive by faction fissures” within its own ranks.
That came after a power battle erupted between Nyuka and his deputy, Schapiro Michaels, who each questioned the other’s legitimacy within the party’s leadership ranks.
Weekend Argus