ActionSA terminates membership of 2 Tshwane councillors

17 March 2023

ActionSA has resolved to terminate the membership of two of its City of Tshwane Councillors.

The decision to terminate the membership of Councillors Mhlana and Baloyi arises directly from the investigation into councillors who are believed to have voted for former Councillor Makwarela on 28 February 2023.

The investigation into the Councillors has been ongoing for weeks and has come to the conclusion that the Councillors voted for Makwarela on 28 February and for the ATM candidate for Speaker, Councillor Ndzwanana, on 13 March. It is further believed that Baloyi provided the location of the polygraph tests of 6 March to the EFF and was at least partially responsible for the disruption that occurred on that day.

The investigation did not rely solely upon polygraph tests, having said this, both councillors failed on two separate occasions on both the question of voting against the coalition and being offered rewards for doing so. The investigations concluded that the polygraph test results are corroborated sufficiently by additional evidence for ActionSA to take these steps.

ActionSA is satisfied that the individuals concerned were not casting votes of conscience. The interim constitution of ActionSA has a prescribed process to be followed for a Councillor to cast such a vote and this process was not followed. It is further worth noting that the Councillors attended caucus meetings and resolved to support the relevant coalition candidate on both 6 and 13 March 2023.

ActionSA is unequivocal in the steps that we take to ensure that our commitment to the residents of Tshwane, and our multi-party coalition, to keep the ANC out of office is adhered to. No Councillor in ActionSA will be allowed to betray the mandate on which they were elected to serve their residents.

Issued by Michael Beaumont, National Spokesperson, ActionSA, 17 March 2023