DA Interim Leader John Steenhuisen says the party has instructed its lawyers to approach the courts on an urgent basis following what he calls the bullying tactics of Gauteng Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Lebogang Maile.
This comes after Maile invoked the Municipal Systems Act to suspend two DA councillors from the City of Johannesburg and the City of Tshwane.
The DA will not give in to the bullying tactics of MEC Maile. We have instructed our lawyers to approach the courts on an urgent basis to review this illegal move.
The ANC’s selective application of the law, applied only to DA councillors, shows its transparent hypocrisy. https://t.co/MOyoVzgQN2
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) January 23, 2020
Maile made the announcement at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Maile has suspended former Speaker of Johannesburg Vasco Da Gama without pay for three months. He has also suspended the Speaker of Tshwane Katlego Mathebe for six months.
Maile has told the media that he gave the two sufficient time to give reasons why they should not be suspended, but failed to do so.
This comes after they allegedly breached the code of conduct in the Municipal Systems Act.
In a statement, Steenhuisen says the DA has also written to Maile to retract his decision to suspend the two DA councillors, describing it as unlawful. He says the suspension cannot be made without a council resolution.
Steenhuisen says if Maile fails to retract his decision, the DA will also apply for a personal and punitive cost order against the MEC.
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