ANC Councillor Xolile Galada guilty

GRAAFF-REINET - ANC councillor for Ward 4, Xolile Galada, has been found guilty of crimen injuria and sentenced to four years in prison with the option of a fine of R6 000.

This follows a verbal attack, that allegedly included racial insults, on Linda Botha on 26 March 2018 whilst she was still serving as DA councillor for Ward 2.

Galada started screaming and swearing at Botha when she wanted to know who he obtained permission from to drive a municipal vehicle. Samantha Graham-Maré, stated that the speaker of the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (DBNLM) was present at the time but did not do anything to intervene. Botha then opened a case of crimen injuria and racism against Galada. This case was concluded in March 2021, three years after the incident occurred. Galada pleaded guilty to the crimen injuria but not to the racism.

Graham-Maré said that it also took Botha over a year to deal with the issue internally after a complaint was lodged. After the internal process, even though Galada was found to have attacked Botha verbally, it was decided to reprimand him.

This decision did not sit well with the DA since they expected, at the very least, an apology and a fine but, according to Graham-Maré, they were outvoted by the ANC. As a result of the trauma associated with the verbal attack and alleged racial insults, Botha resigned from the council in January 2019. The Service Deliver Movement (SDM) expressed their concern regarding the nature of this case. According to Vuyisa Jantjies, Interim Chairperson of the SDM, it can be deduced from how this matter was handled, as well as the fact that Galada continues to serve as a councillor irrespective of him having committed a crime against a woman, that the ANC has a very weak position on gender-based violence. In addition, Jantjies believes that the ANC’s step-aside rule should have been applied at the outset.

In terms of this rule, those facing criminal charges have to voluntarily step aside from their position, failing which they may be suspended. It remains to be seen whether the ANC will allow Galada’s continued service as councillor now that he has been found guilty of a criminal offence.