Three councillors from the beleaguered Kannaland municipality are set to be removed from council this coming Friday, Weekend Argus can reveal.
This comes after speaker Rodge Albertus drafted a lengthy report, saying he found Icosa councillors, Jeffrey Donson, Werner Meshoa and Hyrin Ruiters guilty on several averments and, as a result, want them to face the axe.
Donson and Meshoa were, respectively, the mayor and deputy mayor of Kannaland. Both were dramatically ousted in a motion of no confidence in January.
The motion was tabled after Donson and Meshoa refused to step down after it emerged they had criminal convictions. They remained councillors.
If the latest resolution is successful, there’s a strong possibility that MEC for local government Anton Bredell, who has the final say in the matter, will upheld the decision. This will result in them being removed as councillors.
This would pave the way for three by-elections to take place once the vacancies have been declared.
According to the report, seen by Weekend Argus, the councillors were found guilty of unlawful, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure of public funds, among other things.
“I find that they are guilty of gross dishonesty, fraud, theft, corruption and bringing the municipality into disrepute,” Albertus said.
As per Albertus, almost R1.5 million were earmarked for Twilight Youth Connection, an NPO, and Fire Explosion Trading. But Donson, Meshoa and Ruiters “appropriated part or all the funds to further their own and or the interests of their political party Icosa”.
The trio, according to the report, also submitted a series of fraudulent travel and accommodation claims under the pretence of performing official duties which resulted in unlawful, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure in the amount of nearly R50 000.
In another finding, the report said: “The councillors gave statements and information to the public, municipal officials, and the media, riddled with misrepresentation, non-disclosure, misdescription and deceptiveness regarding litigation in the Western Cape High Court.”
It further stated: “This was done by the councillors whilst instigating vicious service delivery disruptions, unlawfully occupying municipal workplaces, and causing general confusion and chaos.
“(This) with the intention of wrongfully taking over control of the municipal council by claiming the executive positions they used to possess before being removed by motions of no-confidence.”
As a result, Albertus recommended that they should be suspended.
“The only logical sanction would be to remove the councillors from office and request the MEC to act accordingly.”
These findings will be tabled before council this coming Friday.
Kannaland Mayor, Nicky Valentyn confirmed this.
Weekend Argus.