Lawyers for GOOD Party MPL Peter de Villiers have indicated their intention to appeal the party’s decision to terminate his membership amid a complaint of sexual misconduct.
GOOD national chairperson Matthew Cook on Monday said the party’s National Management Committee (NMC) terminated De Villiers’s membership of the party and removed him as a member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature based on the outcome of a party disciplinary process which found him guilty of breaching the GOOD constitution and Code of Conduct.
“GOOD is a women-led party, with a constitution containing a set of values to which all members subscribe and account, irrespective of their positions.
“The GOOD constitution deals comprehensively and unequivocally with gender rights and sexual misconduct.
The party is proud of its record of advocacy for the equal rights of women and girls, and against the plague of gender-based violence in South Africa.”
The party said it had received a formal complaint of sexual misconduct against De Villiers on January 31 concerning an incident involving a woman party member.
The incident apparently happened when he was dropping her at home after an event.
After the complaint, he was suspended from all party activities, pending an investigation and formal disciplinary hearing. Earlier this month, the party served De Villiers’s attorney, David van der Merwe of Leon, Frank & Partners, with a charge sheet and confirmed the hearing would sit for two days, with oral evidence.
The party had appointed an independent disciplinary hearing chairperson, advocate Lionel Esau, and an independent initiator to fulfil the prosecutorial function, advocate Peter Cyster.
GOOD deputy secretary-general Suzette Little has replaced De Villiers and was sworn in by the speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature to complete this term, which ends with the May elections. Approached for comment, Van der Merwe said he had been instructed to appeal. “... It is our instruction to appeal ... we have no further comment at this time.”
Gender-based violence activist, the Reverend June Dolley-Major, said the termination sent a clear message the party had put their words into action.
Cape Times