It appears there has been ”substantial maladministration” in the finances of the troubled United Independent Front (UIF), the Cape High Court has been told.
The deputy leader of the party, Neville Hendricks, makes the claim in an affidavit submitted as part of a bid to block party disciplinary proceedings against him and fellow party official Mzwandile Manjiya.
The two men are also seeking to stop Limpopo MPL Ike Kekana, whom they describe as the ”putative acting president” of the party, being sworn in as a member of the National Assembly.
Kekana would take the place of former UIF leader Malizole Diko, who died last year.
Acting judge Dumisani Zondi on Monday morning heard oral argument from advocate Paul Tredoux, for Hendricks and Manjiya.
However, when he took the tea adjournment, the two sides sent a request that he not reconvene the court, as they wanted to discuss a possible settlement.
In his affidavit, Hendricks said the party was not observing its own constitution. He also said its financial affairs were not in order ”and it appears as though there has been substantial maladministration”.
Because he had not been prepared to accept this, he had been singled out for disciplinary action, with the clear intention of dismissing him.
Hendricks, who hails from the Western Cape, was a founding member of the UIF, which came into being in September 2005. Before that, he was a senior member of the Independent Democrats in the Western Cape.
About 20 supporters of Hendricks and Manjiya, all in red UIF T-shirts, sang and waved hand-lettered posters outside the court during proceedings. — Sapa