The dismissal of Central Karoo District municipal manager, Truman Prince, will not affect the municipal election drive of the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa), the party said on Tuesday.
”It [the dismissal] won’t have any negative impact on Icosa and its participation in the election,” said party provincial secretary Andrew Lyon.
Lyon was responding to news on Tuesday that a disciplinary committee had ruled that Prince be dismissed with immediate effect from his position as Central Karoo district municipal manager.
”The extended mayoral committee will recommend to council that the verdict of the presiding officer, immediate dismissal, be enforced with immediate effect,” said the office of the acting municipal manager, Nicla Nortje.
The internal disciplinary probe found Prince guilty on five of the seven counts against him.
These charges related to public misconduct in Laingsburg in May 2005 and two incidents in Beaufort West, Nortje’s office said.
He was found not guilty on a charge of using R3 000 from a mayoral fund to settle bail for a friend, and another pertaining to a R49 000 performance bonus he was awarded last year.
The council would meet at 3pm on Friday to discuss the disciplinary findings, Nortje’s office said. Prince would have 21 days to appeal the council’s decision.
Prince, the public face of Icosa in the Karoo and its environs, was dismissed from the African National Congress for bringing the party into disrepute.
Prince, together with Icosa colleague Michael Mtsoane, were expelled with 23 others after it was established that they had registered as candidates, or supported candidates, to oppose the ANC at the March 1 municipal elections.
Prince achieved notoriety last year when he was captured on film in a Special Assignment documentary on prostitution in Beaufort West.
He was seen on camera talking to under-age girls plying their trade in the area. – Sapa