/ 19 February 2007

Truman Prince allowed to appeal his dismissal

Truman Prince is to be allowed to appeal against his dismissal from the post of Beaufort West’s municipal manager, the Democratic Alliance (DA) confirmed on Monday.

It was reacting to an African National Congress (ANC) statement saying that the Central Karoo council had voted for the move despite a legal opinion that ”clearly” stated Prince had no right to a challenge.

The council, run by Prince’s Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) with the aid of the DA, sacked him in February 2006 after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty on several charges.

ANC Western Cape provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha said that since the DA entered an election pact with Icosa, it had been lying about the true nature of its relationship with Prince.

”Now it seems that the DA will be central in putting Truman Prince back as municipal manager in order to shore up this unholy alliance,” he said.

However, DA provincial leader Theuns Botha said that according to an opinion from senior counsel Jan Heunis, it was ”the prerogative” of the council to allow Prince an appeal.

”It is Mr Prince’s legal right to in fact take his appeal to a court of law,” he said.

”In allowing him to appeal, the council has in fact avoided the possibility of high legal costs involved if Mr Prince chose to follow [the] courts route.

”The DA stands by its previous statements that we will not be party to any co-governance agreement that will place Truman Prince in an executive position.”

The disciplinary probe found Prince guilty on charges related to public misconduct in Laingsburg and two incidents in Beaufort West.

He had earlier been expelled from the ANC after launching a campaign to oppose it in last year’s municipal elections.

A former mayor of Beaufort West, Prince hit the headlines in early 2005 when he featured in a television documentary on child prostitution that showed him talking suggestively to young girls through his car window at night. — Sapa