• The ANC in the Western Cape has instituted disciplinary proceedings against Kannaland councillors.
• The ANC held its  Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) meeting on Sunday where the decision was made. 
• Former Kannaland mayor Jeffrey Donson and his deputy Werner Meshoa are challenging a recent court ruling dismissing their review request on a motion of no confidence.

The ANC in the Western Cape has suspended its councillors in Kannaland and instituted disciplinary proceedings against them.

The ANC held its Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) meeting on Sunday where the decision was made.

The party’s provincial convenor, Lerumo Kalako, said at a media briefing on Monday the IPC has taken note of the challenges that persist in Kannaland.

“The IPC has taken a decision to suspend its councillors in Kannaland and has formally appointed a disciplinary committee to investigate and finalise their cases speedily. To date, those councillors are not to represent the ANC in Kannaland Council,” he said.

Kalako said they have given the disciplinary committee three weeks to investigate the councillors.

“We have already decided that those comrades are suspended they are not representing the ANC. In three weeks’ time the committee must come back and give us the findings of the investigation. But the IPC has mandated us to continue with any aspects so that the municipality can function,” he said.

Kalako said a new vacancy process will be re-opened which will be declared by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

“We want to deal with this issue quickly and get the council to continue to function normally,” he said.

Kannaland has been beset by problems, most recently, after former Kannaland mayor Jeffrey Donson  approached the courts in an attempt to challenge the motion of no confidence he faced last month.

Donson, a convicted child rapist, along with his former deputy, Werner Meshoa, a convicted fraudster, were ousted in the motion of no confidence. They were joined by district representative on the municipality, Hyron Ruiters, of the Icosa party, who was also subjected to a motion of no confidence.

Their election to public office, with the support of ANC councillors, was widely condemned.

The motion of no confidence was brought by a council member who requested that the speaker of the municipality hold an urgent council meeting.

The council subsequently decided that ANC speaker Nicolaas Valentyn should take over as mayor, with the ANC’s Leonie Stuurman as deputy mayor, and Rodge Albertus of the Kannaland Independent Party (KIP) as new council speaker.

Senior ANC leaders then immediately intervened and suspended Valentyn and Stuurman.

Following a public outcry, the ANC decided to withdraw from a coalition with the Icosa party and be an opposition party in the council.

Due to Valentyn and Stuurman’s suspension, the positions of mayor and deputy mayor are vacant, leaving only Albertus as council speaker.

Valentyn and Stuurman are both challenging their suspension.