ANC councillors at Thembelihle Municipality, as well as an FF+ councillor who was appointed as the Speaker, have been summoned to explain to the court today why Danny Jonas should not be reinstated as the Speaker.
ANC COUNCILLORS at Thembelihle Municipality, as well as an FF+ councillor who was appointed as the Speaker, have been summoned to explain to the court on Friday why Danny Jonas should not be reinstated as Speaker.
Jonas was apparently removed as Speaker during a virtual meeting, which he claims he was not aware of, while he had been placed on sick leave.
An application was also made to compel council to provide the minutes and agenda of the meeting.
According to a letter from the ANC chief whip, Tommy Yola, which was also signed by five ANC councillors, Jonas should be removed as Speaker with immediate effect for “instigating public disorder and violence, restricting access to the municipality by taking the office keys, damage to property and disrupting the normal operations of the municipality”.
“We are of the firm belief that councillor Jonas does not have the interests of the municipality at heart. He failed to execute his duties as a leader and set a good example for the municipality and community at large. Jonas has highly compromised the integrity of council and should be removed as Speaker of Thembelihle Municipality with immediate effect.”
Jonas had submitted a sick certificate dated from March 29 to April 6.
In court documents, he indicated to the chief financial officer that he was informed via a WhatsApp message that he had been replaced by FF+ councillor Paul van Niekerk as Speaker.
Van Niekerk, signing in his capacity as Speaker, had advised of a special council meeting that would be held on April 11.
Jonas said that the meeting was called by an “irregularly appointed Speaker”, while the notice did not contain an agenda as to what would be discussed at the meeting.
“Any resolution that will be taken at this meeting would be of full force and effect. The resolutions of the meeting would only be rescinded after a period of 90 days. This will have the effect of paralysing the municipality for a period of 90 days without there being any recourse in terms of the standing rules and orders of Thembelihle Local Municipality. In addition, in order to rescind such a decision, an application for review would have to be launched in the Northern Cape High Court at high costs to the municipality.”
Jonas has also applied for a court order to hold the individual councillors responsible for the legal costs.
The matter will be heard before Judge Lawrence Lever in the Northern Cape High Court on April 22.
