A cohort of recently expelled Defenders Of the People members have lashed out at their political bosses, accusing them of trying to push their selfish interests.
At a press conference at Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton on Friday, the DOP members were adamant that the decision by their national bosses to expel them was illegal.
Last week, the party’s secretary-general, Aubrey Maake, sent a letter to DOP members, saying the party had disbanded the Bay regional structure and suspended two of its councillors in the Bay — Tukela Zumani, who is also the city’s budget and treasury political head, and Florence Hermans.
Maake and DOP president Ruphus Mphahlele claimed that the members had disrespected, misled and divided supporters and members of the party.
They had subsequently expelled the two councillors, Maake said.
However, the members disputed the claims on Friday, accusing Mphahlele of demanding that 50% of the councillors’ salaries be given to the party as a levy.
This, they claimed, was for his personal benefit.
Simphiwe Madlavu, who said he was the DOP Bay regional secretary, said the party levies were meant to build the party and not to sustain the egos of individuals and maintain their lifestyles.
“We wrote him a letter, but he never bothered to respond, and instead went to social media to insult members,” Madlavu said.
He said Mphahlele had called a meeting on December 23 and decisions were pronounced that after five years, a constitutional structure conference would be held to elect a proper Central Defence Team (CDT) as per the constitution.
But instead of waiting for five years, they claim that Mphahlele appointed a national leadership structure on his own without the buy-in of the rest of the party.
Madlavu claimed that any decisions taken after the December 23 meeting were illegal and the suspension of members was not constitutional because it was done by a structure that was not constitutionally elected. .
“We maintain that these members are illegal.
“We called upon the acting city manager to avoid acting on illegal communication coming from these individuals,” he said.
Madlavu said they would legally challenge their suspension from the party.
Zumani said the party should be focused on building branches and expanding to all parts of the province, as well as countrywide.
“It cannot be that one man in a village can come and dictate the lives of Bay people he had never even engaged with.
“The success of DOP belongs to every member,” he said.
Maake dismissed the claims made at the press conference, saying the members were expelled and had no mandate to hold briefings under the DOP organisational name.
He said the national leadership had opted to tackle the matter through legal channels and their lawyers said it would be resolved in a week or two.
“These people are trying to sabotage the movement and are still continuing to mislead the people, hence we also involved our lawyers,” he said.
Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki confirmed that because there was a legal process under way, it would give the party the space to resolve the matter.
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