Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille opened her personal bank account records to members of the media on Thursday to refute claims by former ID Western Cape leader Lennit Max that she pocketed about R400 000 meant for party coffers.
Speaking to journalists in her parliamentary office, De Lille rejected Max’s allegations, and said the ID is very open and transparent.
”The truth will always survive … we will get to the bottom of the allegations,” she said.
It is also puzzling why Max never raised the issue with her personally or in the party’s weekly caucus meetings over a period of seven months, De Lille said.
Earlier on Thursday, De Lille announced Max has been suspended as a member of the party with immediate effect, pending a formal disciplinary hearing.
The hearing will be held in early January 2005 when Max will be charged, and he runs the risk of being expelled from the party.
The suspension is also applicable to his status as a member of the Western Cape provincial legislature, she said.
A preliminary investigation into his activities in the party has revealed that his suspension arises from certain ”facts and circumstances”.
These include:
Unlawfully changing the employment contracts of the party to suit two employees at the provincial legislature;
Media leaks to Rapport and the Cape Argus newspapers;
The irregular closure of the ID’s Worcester constituency office;
The irregular dismissal of three ID employees employed at the Cape Town and Worcester constituency offices;
Dereliction of ID duties in that he failed to appear in court to represent community members of Boschendal farms who were facing eviction;
Misappropriation of parliamentary constituency allowances; and
Acting and/or displaying behaviour amounting to an undercover agent or provocateur and in so doing bringing the party and/or its leadership into disrepute and/or attempting to discredit and destroy the party and/or its leadership in that he was responsible for laying false charges with the South African Police Service against the party and its leadership.
— Sapa