GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
15 May 2023
The Good Party will face off with its two former councillors Neville Louw and Theresa Jeyi in by-elections in Wards 16 and 20 in George.
Although their resignations as Councillors were technically unprocedural, in that they were not submitted to the Municipal Manager, GOOD will not play tug-of-war games over councillors with other parties.
It is not politicians, but the people of Wards 16 and 20 who must decide who they want to represent them.
In respect of Ward 27 Councillor Richard Hector, the GOOD Party has written to the IEC and the Municipal Manager of George to inform them that it will take legal steps to stop a by-election being called in this ward as there is no vacancy.
Mr Hector has confirmed his allegiance to GOOD, and that he never intended to join any another political party. He submitted a letter of resignation to the Speaker of George Municipality (a political appointee) during a period of contemplation over how best he could serve his community: From the inside or outside of council.
GOOD fully comprehends the difficulties councillors representing working class communities in DA-led municipalities face when having to explain why their communities remain under-serviced and under-developed instead of receiving the extra attention they need.
On 25 April 2023, a few days after it publicly emerged that three GOOD councillors had “resigned”, the party’s attorneys wrote to inform the IEC that the three councillors had indicated they did not intend to resign. In any event, their “letters of resignation” had been submitted to a politician (the Speaker) instead of being lawfully submitted to the Municipal Manager.
GOOD believes Louw and Jeyi subsequently submitted lawful resignation letters, which will trigger by-elections in Wards 16 and 20. As it did two years ago, GOOD will once again ask voters in these wards to lend the party their votes – and, should they prove disappointing, vote them out at the next opportunity.
After receiving no substantive response to its letter of 25 April, GOOD’s attorney’s wrote to the IEC and Municipality last week, confirming Hector’s position and requesting written undertakings that his “resignation” was invalid and ineffective, and that a by-election in respect of Ward 27 was therefore unnecessary.
Should the undertakings not be provided, GOOD will approach the courts for relief.
Media Enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 082 518 3264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za