Cape Town - A senior member in the Kannaland Municipality received his marching orders on Thursday after he allegedly called the mayor Jeffrey Donson and his personnel “crooks and thieves”.
Donson’s deputy, Werner Meshoa is a convicted fraudster, while the municipality’s municipal manager Morne Hoogbaard also has a case to answer over fraud involving R338 million. Another senior employee Petrus Roodtman has served time in prison for rape.
Donson was convicted in 2008 for the rape of a then 15-year-old.
Abraham Delport, who occupied the role of supervisor in the municipality’s Community Service Department, was given a termination letter, seen by Weekend Argus, which informed him that his contract was terminated with “immediate effect”.
His dismissal stems from a WhatsApp status in which Delport said: “All Kannaland’s people are crooks and thieves“.
Delport told Weekend Argus that his “naughty” son posted the accusations on his Whatsapp status which led to a disciplinary process.
“No, no, no, no, it was not posted by me,” said Delport.
“My unemployed and very naughty son came to my house and typed it into my phone ... I was shocked when I saw the post,” he said.
Delport, who used to be the DA’s chairperson in Kannaland, said he would approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
“I am not going to waste my time with appeals, I will go straight to the CMMA,” he said.
Donson confirmed Delport’s axing, but refused to give any further comment.
Delport, in his axing letter, was also blasted for not “showing any remorse” during his disciplinary hearing.
Kannaland has made headlines in the past year over its unstable leadership and financial woes that has led to the possibility of placing it under administration.
Weekend Argus