As long-running tensions with his party reach boiling point, Makana Independent New Deal (Mind) councillor Devon Waldick has been given his marching orders. But he says he's going nowhere.
As long-running tensions with his party reach boiling point, Makana Independent New Deal (Mind) councillor Devon Waldick has been given his marching orders. But he says he's going nowhere.
Party secretary Jock McConnachie last week informed Makana's acting municipal manager of Mind's resolution to withdraw Waldick as PR councillor. Speaking to Grocott's Mail after the announcement, acting chairperson Leon Trompetter said, We notified him about the decision and we are still waiting… We will then see who is going to represent Mind in Council.
Waldick, however, says Mind has no power to withdraw him from Council – 'not in South Africa'.
And the man who compares himself to expelled ANC youth leader Julius Malema says he'll go all the way to the high court to fight the party leadership. In one of the many jibes that have characterised the ongoing conflict, Waldick said,
If [McConnachie] wants to play, I can give him my sister's toys, because this honestly is boring now.
He said as far as he was concerned, the Mind executive committee that removed him did not exist.
I have my committee and I am the chairperson, he said.
Last Tuesday Waldick received an SMS from McConnachie, which read, Dear Devon, please be advised that the Mind Manco Exec meeting has just adjourned. It was decided that you be withdrawn with immediate effect on performance grounds and that you also be expelled with immediate effect on grounds of misconduct. Jock McConnachie, Secretary.
To this Waldick responded by texting, Good.
McConnachie resigned in public from Mind, Waldick said. He is not in my books… They have no power to remove me. They can go to the high court and get an order and I will contest that because I have resources, Waldick said.
Nobody takes me down – I take them down.
McConnachie said Waldick had been withdrawn for lack of performance and not carrying out Mind's mandate. He'd been expelled for gross misconduct because he refused to come and make a presentation before the party leadership.
He… claims that he is the boss and the chairperson, said McConnachie.
McConnachie denied he had resigned from Mind.
I never resigned from Mind. In 2011 after the elections it was decided that Mind be folded… when Waldick and Trompetter hijacked the organisation and formed a bogus committee. I distanced myself from that bogus committee, McConnachie said. Last August, however, Mind members had patched things up. At their AGM they had elected a committee, and this year a new executive committee had been elected.
Acting Municipal Manager Thembinkosi Myalato said the municipality would investigate the matter, discuss it with the Independent Electoral Commission and table it before council.
