The ANC in the Western Cape has suspended Danville Smith’s membership of the party.
Smith, a member of the provincial legislature, was arrested last Thursday for alleged fraud and car theft in Vredendal after a sting operation and surveillance, police said.
The provincial ANC revealed on Tuesday this was his second indictment. He also faced a charge of corruption and had “stepped aside” from his duties in the party, as required of indicted ANC members.
Smith is the party’s treasurer in the West Coast region.
Convenor of the interim provincial committee Lerumo Kalako said the party appreciated the gravity of the charges preferred against Smith.
“While we appreciate he had been on step aside, the interim provincial working committee has had to evaluate his role in the provincial legislature and the fact that for more than a year, the ANC had been unable to reap benefits from his participation as a member of the provincial legislature while he is on step aside.
“Based on the gravity of these latest charges and given the fact he is charged again while serving on another serious charge, the working committee resolved to place comrade Danville’s membership on suspension and has referred this matter to the provincial disciplinary committee for adjudication,” said Kalako.
He said provincial officials were tasked with urgently seeking legal advice on how to protect the image of the ANC at the level of the legislature.
News24 reported that Smith, Edwin Sepi from Witsand, Atlantis, and Malvern Chakoma, from Parow, are accused of pretending to transfer R210,000 as payment for a vehicle advertised on Gumtree by Petrus Bosman, although no money was transferred to the complainant for the vehicle to be handed over. They allegedly sent fraudulent proof of payment notifications to the seller.
Smith appeared in the Vredendal magistrate's court last week and was released on R10,000 bail, the publication reported.
His corruption charges relate to the period when he was speaker of the Cederberg municipality in about 2016. He is accused of pocketing R25,000 after submitting an invoice totalling R28,200 from a company, and getting one of the company’s owners to pocket R3,200.
The membership of ANC branch secretary Bulelani Yosana, recently arrested for the murder of another ANC member, has been temporarily suspended. The party said it has initiated a process to refer his matter to the disciplinary committee for adjudication.
Kalako said the working committee also noted the guilty verdict against Andile Lili.
He revealed Lili made representations and said he would appeal the judgment, but the matter has been referred to the national integrity commission.
Last month, the Bellville magistrate’s court convicted Lili of two counts of attending illegal gatherings outside the court, inciting members of Ses’khona People’s Movement to murder and common assault.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Western Cape ANC suspends MPL accused of car theft, fraud
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba
The ANC in the Western Cape has suspended Danville Smith’s membership of the party.
Smith, a member of the provincial legislature, was arrested last Thursday for alleged fraud and car theft in Vredendal after a sting operation and surveillance, police said.
The provincial ANC revealed on Tuesday this was his second indictment. He also faced a charge of corruption and had “stepped aside” from his duties in the party, as required of indicted ANC members.
Smith is the party’s treasurer in the West Coast region.
Convenor of the interim provincial committee Lerumo Kalako said the party appreciated the gravity of the charges preferred against Smith.
“While we appreciate he had been on step aside, the interim provincial working committee has had to evaluate his role in the provincial legislature and the fact that for more than a year, the ANC had been unable to reap benefits from his participation as a member of the provincial legislature while he is on step aside.
“Based on the gravity of these latest charges and given the fact he is charged again while serving on another serious charge, the working committee resolved to place comrade Danville’s membership on suspension and has referred this matter to the provincial disciplinary committee for adjudication,” said Kalako.
He said provincial officials were tasked with urgently seeking legal advice on how to protect the image of the ANC at the level of the legislature.
News24 reported that Smith, Edwin Sepi from Witsand, Atlantis, and Malvern Chakoma, from Parow, are accused of pretending to transfer R210,000 as payment for a vehicle advertised on Gumtree by Petrus Bosman, although no money was transferred to the complainant for the vehicle to be handed over. They allegedly sent fraudulent proof of payment notifications to the seller.
Smith appeared in the Vredendal magistrate's court last week and was released on R10,000 bail, the publication reported.
His corruption charges relate to the period when he was speaker of the Cederberg municipality in about 2016. He is accused of pocketing R25,000 after submitting an invoice totalling R28,200 from a company, and getting one of the company’s owners to pocket R3,200.
The membership of ANC branch secretary Bulelani Yosana, recently arrested for the murder of another ANC member, has been temporarily suspended. The party said it has initiated a process to refer his matter to the disciplinary committee for adjudication.
Kalako said the working committee also noted the guilty verdict against Andile Lili.
He revealed Lili made representations and said he would appeal the judgment, but the matter has been referred to the national integrity commission.
Last month, the Bellville magistrate’s court convicted Lili of two counts of attending illegal gatherings outside the court, inciting members of Ses’khona People’s Movement to murder and common assault.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
‘The ANC is the most corrupt organisation’: Zuma’s cryptic jab at party leaders gets tongues wagging
‘African National Criminals’ - Helen Zille says hopes of a coalition with the ANC are dashed
Pre-trial proceedings for Zandile Gumede court case to get under way
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos