Rogue DA councillor helps ANC take over Western Cape’s Cederberg municipality

The ANC has ousted the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Citrusdal’s Cederberg Municipality in the Western Cape.

An urgent motion to remove DA mayor Joseph Farmer was brought by the ANC.

A single DA member went rogue, allowing the ANC to gain control of the region’s council.

This follows a walk-out by the DA caucus, after which ANC members elected themselves to executive posts, according to EWN.

The ANC’s Sylvia Quinta is now mayor, with Mariaan Nell – also from the ANC – as her deputy.

“Today was a good day for the ANC. They took control of the Cederberg Municipality. We are getting ready for the next municipal elections,” ANC spokesperson Dennis Cruywagen told EWN.

READ MORE: Trollip ouster Manyati remains DA councillor, 2 ‘turncoats’ booted

DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela confirmed that the ANC’s takeover was enabled by DA councillor Bertie Sazz.

“The key thing is that the party must be able to act against those people. I find it disheartening that people subject themselves to the party’s constitution and then go against it,” he said.

The way the ANC gained control has parallels with the takeover of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality – at the time led by the DA – by a coalition of parties comprising the ANC, United Democratic Movement (UDM), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and African Independent Congress (AIC).

The takeover was enabled by Mbulelo Victor Manyati, a “rogue councillor” who voted alongside the coalition who wanted then mayor Athol Trollip’s removal.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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