A City of Cape Town councillor has pulled off a flawless Houdini act.
But‚ instead of applause‚ he got sacked.
Tando Jafta was taken to a disciplinary committee by the Democratic Alliance early this year.
He was suspended late last year from the DA caucus following his chronic absenteeism.
Shaun August‚ chief whip of the City of Cape Town council‚ said Jafta had missed several council meetings without reason.
Now the DA has found him guilty and sacked him from the party.
This means Ward 4 — which includes Summer Greens — will have a by-election in August this year.
“Councillor Jafta has been disciplined by the party for the transgressions... His membership has been terminated. This is how the party deals with councillors or its members if they don’t tow the line or live up to standards set by the Democratic Alliance‚” said August.
He said after Jafta was found guilty by the DA‚ he was given 10 days to respond but he never did.
“There was a lot of consultation with the councillor (about his absence)‚ we had engagements with him. It was not just one or two but it was a build up of many charges‚” he added.
The City of Cape Town’s own disciplinary committee‚ for councillors‚ had also found Jafta guilty and recommended he be sacked.
This is because his dismissal from the party automatically means he loses his position in council.
A report to a full council meeting this week‚ which was later withdrawn‚ details that Jafta started skipping council meeting in October last year.
The report states that Jafta also did not appear in before the disciplinary committee to defend himself. He had only sent a single SMS claiming he would go to a doctor on the first day of his hearing.
“No further correspondence was received [from Jafta]. Accordingly‚ the matter was postponed for a second date but no contact from the councillor ensued‚” read the report.
The report further states that the councillor did not respond to calls or messages sent to him and had left his place of residency “with no indication of a forwarding address”.
Attempts by Times Media to contact Jafta for comment were unsuccessful.
City of Cape Town sacks AWOL councillor
A City of Cape Town councillor has pulled off a flawless Houdini act.
But‚ instead of applause‚ he got sacked.
Tando Jafta was taken to a disciplinary committee by the Democratic Alliance early this year.
He was suspended late last year from the DA caucus following his chronic absenteeism.
Shaun August‚ chief whip of the City of Cape Town council‚ said Jafta had missed several council meetings without reason.
Now the DA has found him guilty and sacked him from the party.
This means Ward 4 — which includes Summer Greens — will have a by-election in August this year.
“Councillor Jafta has been disciplined by the party for the transgressions... His membership has been terminated. This is how the party deals with councillors or its members if they don’t tow the line or live up to standards set by the Democratic Alliance‚” said August.
He said after Jafta was found guilty by the DA‚ he was given 10 days to respond but he never did.
“There was a lot of consultation with the councillor (about his absence)‚ we had engagements with him. It was not just one or two but it was a build up of many charges‚” he added.
The City of Cape Town’s own disciplinary committee‚ for councillors‚ had also found Jafta guilty and recommended he be sacked.
This is because his dismissal from the party automatically means he loses his position in council.
A report to a full council meeting this week‚ which was later withdrawn‚ details that Jafta started skipping council meeting in October last year.
The report states that Jafta also did not appear in before the disciplinary committee to defend himself. He had only sent a single SMS claiming he would go to a doctor on the first day of his hearing.
“No further correspondence was received [from Jafta]. Accordingly‚ the matter was postponed for a second date but no contact from the councillor ensued‚” read the report.
The report further states that the councillor did not respond to calls or messages sent to him and had left his place of residency “with no indication of a forwarding address”.
Attempts by Times Media to contact Jafta for comment were unsuccessful.
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