The ANC in the Western Cape has accused the ruling DA of “manipulation and meddling” in the provincial legislature investigation of party leader Bonginkosi Madikizela.
The outburst on Wednesday followed the sudden resignations of two people central to the investigation into housing MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela’s lavish birthday party at the One&Only in Cape Town.
The chairman of the legislature conduct committee‚ Lennit Max‚ resigned last week shortly after the registrar of members’ interests‚ Romeo Maasdorp‚ also stood down. The conduct committee instructed Maasdorp to investigate allegations that a company which worked for Madikizela’s department paid for a R3‚000 birthday cake.
The ANC said the departures of Max and Maasdorp were due to interventions by DA chief whip Mark Wiley. “The ANC demands the DA to immediately stop political interference and destabilisation of the Western Cape legislature’s conduct committee‚” said the party’s leader in the legislature‚ Khaya Magaxa.
Addressing a news conference‚ he said the resignations “followed undue political pressure‚ manipulation and meddling”.
Max was the second chairman of the conduct committee to be forced out because the DA could not get its way‚ said Magaxa. “The DA undermines the committee just when there is something tangible against one of its own members.”
The investigation into Madikizela comes amid heightened tensions within the DA as the party prepares for its provincial conference in two months.
Max is expected to challenge Madikizela for the position of provincial leader‚ which the MEC holds on an interim basis after Helen Zille stepped down in the aftermath of the row over her tweets.
ANC chief whip Pierre Uys confirmed that the party had received correspondence from the office of the public protector confirming it was investigating Madikizela over his birthday party.
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