Cape Town - The Kannaland Municipality passed a vote of no confidence against its mayor, deputy mayor and municipal manager, which saw the coveted mayoral chain handed to the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa’s (Icosa) Jeffrey Donson.
Werner Meshoa, also from Icosa, is back in the seat of deputy mayor following a special council meeting on Friday.
In January, Meshoa, together with Donson, were ousted from the very positions they have now been re-elected to. This after it emerged that the pair had previous convictions for fraud in Meshoa’s case and statutory rape for Donson.
Donson was convicted in 2008 for the rape of a then 15-year-old.
Keith Jordaan is the new municipal manager.
The motion was tabled by Donson and his fellow Icosa councillors. They wanted ANC mayor Nicky Valentyn, his deputy, Leoni Stuurman, and the municipal manager, Ian Avontuur, voted out.
Avontuur confirmed the outcome of the meeting to Weekend Argus.
Valentyn earlier in the week told Weekend Argus that Icosa’s latest move was nothing but “politicking”.
“I made peace with my fate, I’m a politician too and unfortunately that’s how things work.”
Earlier this year, Weekend Argus broke a story about Donson facing fresh allegations of sexual harassment after a recording of a conversation allegedly between him and a local woman was leaked. The 21-year-old woman claimed that Donson allegedly tried to extract sexual favours when she asked for help.
To clear his name, Donson laid charges of crimen injuria against a former staffer for “leaking the evidence” in a public meeting.
On Friday, the ANC’s Cameron Dugmore said the DA in the council needed to take responsibility for the latest development at the troubled municipality.
“The DA must take full responsibility for electing Jeffrey Donson as mayor and Keith Jordaan as municipal manager. They must answer to the voters of Kannaland,” he said.
“As the ANC, we will focus on ensuring that the our internal disciplinary matter regarding our two ANC councillors is completed and on our opposition role in Kannaland.”
Civil society group, Action Society’s Ian Cameron slammed the move, saying he was "speechless".
"We fought it before and we will do so again," he added.
Weekend Argus.
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