Cape Town – The DA’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in the Eastern Cape has officially suspended Nqaba Bhanga from all party-political activities.
Bhanga had until Tuesday to furnish the party with reasons why he should not be suspended.
The party gave him 48 hours to respond in writing following allegations he made against the party’s federal chairperson, Helen Zille, accusing her on social of being racist.
“Helen zille is the most racist person she got of a file of all back (sic) people. Yesterday I learnt how she got information to try to destroy mnrthe (sic) ANC. I’m hurt to know that you were working with the ANC against me,” read Bhanga’s post.
Zille has said the allegations by Bhanga were “totally untrue”.
DA provincial leader Andrew Whitfield said on Tuesday afternoon that the decision to officially suspend Bhanga was taken unanimously by the PEC.
Whitfield said a notice of intention to suspend Bhanga was delivered to him by the sheriff of the court on Monday and sent to him via email.
“Bhanga made written representations as to why he should not be suspended after making use of social media to label the DA’s Federal Council chairperson, Helen Zille, a ‘racist’ and making other unfounded allegations without evidence,” he said.
After considering all the arguments made by Bhanga, the PEC found his arguments to be without merit and made his suspension official, Whitfield said.
“The party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) is now investigating Bhanga’s conduct as well as his allegations and the matter is out of the hands of the DA in the Eastern Cape.
“The FLC is a politically independent body tasked with investigation in the DA and conducts its work without fear and favour,” Whitfield added.
The party said it remained deeply disappointed by Bhanga’s conduct which was contrary to the party’s constitution.
Cape Times