Africa-Press – South-Africa. Western Cape legislature speaker Masizole Mnqasela has spoken out following a looming motion of no confidence in him.
Mnqasela remained adamant “he loves his party, and his blood remains royal blue” despite being charged by the DA with misconduct and suspended from all party activities.
He briefed the media on Sunday, just a day after the motion of no confidence was submitted on Friday morning amid allegations of fraud.
“I believe that it was important to speak about this and what it means for me and for the legislature. I am a politician, so I’m not naìˆve, and I have continued to dismiss these allegations as baseless and malicious, and it was a political witch hunt.”
Mnqasela added the correct processes must be followed.
“I have been sitting in the disciplinary hearing by the Federal Legal Commission [FLC], and when I was told while I was in the hearing that the motion that seeks to remove the speaker. For me, this is quite strange; Parliament itself has not dealt with any complaint,” he said.
Mnqasela has been locked in a disciplinary hearing by the FLC with the party’s top brass over extravagant spending allegations.
Mnqasela stressed the process had caused damage to his family.
“This has tarnished my name and caused emotional stress to my family.”
The DA unanimously decided to file a vote of no confidence to axe him from his position in the legislature.
In May, whistle blowers handed over a mountain of evidence to Premier Alan Winde, revealing Mnqasela’s travel and entertainment claims and apparent lavish spending while on official government business.
Mnqasela denied the allegations and, after being charged with misconduct, said a political agenda influenced the allegations levelled against him.
Meanwhile, the legislature’s programming committee is expected to meet on Tuesday to deliberate the motion of no confidence in the speaker.
The last sitting for the year will take place on Thursday next week.
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