Peter De Villiers sacked by GOOD party for sexual misconduct

The GOOD party has terminated former Springbok coach Peter De Villiers’ membership and removed him as a member of the Western Cape provincial legislature after allegations of sexual misconduct.

This comes after the party received a formal complaint about De Villiers from another member of its party on 31 January 2024.

De Villiers served as a councillor in the Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape.

Peter de Villiers breached party’s code of conduct

GOOD’s National Management Committee (NMC) decision was based on the outcome of a party disciplinary process that found De Villiers guilty of breaching the GOOD constitution and code of conduct, said party spokesperson Matthew Cook on Monday.

“The nature of the allegations warranted his immediate suspension from party activities pending an investigation and formal disciplinary hearing,” Cook said.

GOOD appointed an independent disciplinary hearing chairperson, Advocate Lionel Esau, to preside at De Villiers’ hearing, and an independent initiator, Advocate Peter Cyster.

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De Villiers was represented by David Van der Merwe, of attorneys Leon Frank & Partners, and Advocate Mias Schreuder, SC.

Women-led party

Cook added that GOOD was a women-led party with a constitution containing a set of values to which all members subscribe and account, irrespective of their positions.

“The GOOD constitution deals comprehensively and unequivocally with gender rights and sexual misconduct. The party is proud of its record of advocacy for the equal rights of women and girls and against the plague of gender-based violence in South Africa,” he said.

Ran for mayor

De Villiers ran for mayor of Drakenstein in the 2021 local government elections.

At the time, he said he could become anything after being the Springbok coach.

“When I grew up during apartheid, politics were part of our DNA. Every day we lived in struggle. We had strategies on how to combat, how to win, how to overcome.”

ALSO READ: From rugby to politics: Peter de Villiers to try out as GOOD mayoral candidate