/ 27 August 2007

Truman Prince ousted yet again

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday welcomed the dismissal of Central Karoo district municipality manager Truman Prince, saying it had lost confidence in the controversial politician.

DA Western Cape chairperson Theuns Botha said the party was glad Prince has been ousted.

”A majority of councillors in the municipality had lost confidence in him, and eventually, they managed to get rid of him — at last,” he said.

Botha said the municipality has effectively terminated Prince’s contract and will pay out the remainder of his term, which was due to end in December.

Prince, who was initially dismissed by the municipality two years ago on charges of sexual misconduct, arising from a television exposé of him flirting with teenage girls, appealed against his dismissal and was reinstated as municipality manager in June this year.

On Monday, his former political party, the African National Congress (ANC), which had previously tried to block his June reinstatement to no avail, said it was glad that ”sanity” had finally prevailed at the municipality.

”Prince belongs to the dustbin of political history — and that is where he should remain,” said ANC Western Cape provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha.

He described the Central Karoo municipality’s initial decision to reinstate Prince as an insult to the community.

”No sane government at whatever level can put people’s lives and the taxpayer’s money on the hands of a person like Prince,” he said.

However, a defiant Prince, who is also a member of the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa, has reportedly vowed to exhaust all avenues to challenge the municipality’s decision to dismiss him. — Sapa