Africa-Press – South-Africa. GOOD announced its National Management Committee has resolved to expel two senior party members, Shaun August and Felicity Klazen.
August represented the party as its national organiser and a member of the Western Cape Legislature, while Klazen was a councillor and the Deputy Mayor in the Witzenberg Municipality in the Western Cape.
Last year, allegations emerged that the pair had hosted alcohol fuelled sex parties instead of campaigning during the by-elections.
According to reports, disgruntled volunteers, who were part of the campaign, gave detailed statements about party members allegedly involved in sexting, partying and “sex parties” instead of campaigning to garner votes.
It is understood the election campaign cost the party R200 000.
In a statement on Friday, the party’s general secretary Brett Herron said the loss, in a ward in which GOOD expected to excel, represented the party’s first electoral setback since being established in 2019, and winning seats in the National Assembly and Western Cape Legislature a few months later.
“The Witzenberg setback was quickly followed by complaints received from GOOD members about Klazen and August’s conduct and a series of negative reports were published in the media.
“The situation clearly necessitated decisive action by the party,” he said.
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When the investigation was concluded late last year, the party’s leadership referred the allegations of misconduct to formal disciplinary hearings.
Separate disciplinary processes were conducted into August and Klazen’s alleged misdemeanours after the appointment of an independent chairperson, an advocate, in accordance with the GOOD constitution.
The cases were “prosecuted” by an independent attorney.
Klazen and August were represented by attorneys and were given the opportunity to give evidence, call witnesses and present arguments on sanctions.
“The hearings concluded that the members were guilty of serious misconduct and had brought GOOD’s reputation into disrepute,” he said.
Klazen was suspended from party activities pending the outcome of her internal appeal, while August has five working days in which to indicate if he plans to appeal.
August was found to be in breach of the party’s code of conduct (lewd and shameful conduct), as well as the Political Party Funding Act.
In a post on social media on Thursday, August said: “I note the campaign trying to discredit my standing with my political party, the GOOD Movement. I remain a loyal member of GOOD and committed to the values of the party. As a founding member, I’m invested in its growth. I remain GOOD!”
Comment from August and Klazen will be added if received.
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