Open DA Knysna hearings demanded

THE Knysna Ratepayers Association (RKA) has demanded the DA’s disciplinary hearing against mayor Mark Willemse and councillor Peter Myers be open to the public.

The association wrote to the DA’s federal council chairperson, James Selfe, slating the party for scheduling the hearing at the weekend – in Cape Town.

Willemse and Myers face charges of misconduct in breaching the DA’s constitution when they voted in favour of a motion of no confidence in former mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies.

The motion tabled by opposition parties over BouwSpies’s failure to deliver on her duties was followed by the nomination and election of Willemse by the opposition.

In the letter, the KRA demanded to make submissions at the disciplinary hearings.

“Our contention (is) that the hearings must be open to the public. The starting point is that the DA Federal Constitution does not prohibit open hearings in the case of provincial disciplinary proceedings.”

Since his election Willemse has defied the party’s stance that he step down. He had faced the party’s leadership twice in the past two months as well as narrowly escaping a motion of no confidence against him by his own caucus.

Willemse said submissions were made to have the disciplinary moved to Knysna and for the hearing to be open to the public. “We did not have an opportunity to address all the charges against us, but we are facing items listed on the DA’s constitution we are viewed as being in contempt of. The matter has been postponed. While we have yet to agree on a date, it will be in Knysna and we will wait and see what the outcome will be,” he said.

DA provincial spokesperson Odette Cason said the DA would ensure the hearings’ outcomes would be in the best interests of the people of Knysna.