ActionSA has terminated the membership of Dr Makhosi Khosa following recommendations by its Ethics and Disciplinary Committee that was deliberating over “a series of public outbursts”.
The party instituted a disciplinary inquiry into Khoza’s conduct in January.
She faced internal charges, including bringing the party into disrepute, deliberately acting in a way that negatively impacted the party and acting in a manner that caused disunity in the party.
According to the party, a disciplinary panel was convened, chaired by Advocate Gill Benson, a former Acting Judge in the High Court, and prosecuted by ActionSA’s Western Cape Provincial Chairperson, Vytjie Mentor.
In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, the party said the matter was discussed at a meeting held last night. The party said its Ethics and Disciplinary Committee was unanimous in finding Khoza guilty on all charges and recommending the termination of her membership.
It added that the evidence brought against Khoza included numerous public utterances and comments made to the media, which were deemed to have been made with the intention of bringing ActionSA into disrepute.
“There is no reasonable explanation for her continued abuse of the party, which she purports to promote. As a high standing member of the party, she disregards the reputational damage to the party for apparent publicity and self-gain. Her loyalties do not lie with ActionSA, and instead, lie with aspiring to grow her own political aspirations, at the great cost of her constituency and ActionSA,” read the disciplinary report.
The report further stated that evidence before the panel demonstrated communication with “ringleaders” of a group of dismissed members from Soweto who had previously been found to have acted to deliberately destabilise the party.
“In this communication, Khoza and the ringleader of this group were found to be plotting to ‘deal with’ (ActionSA leader Herman) Mashaba. This conversation took place in close proximity to a protest by these former members outside the City of Johannesburg Council Chamber in which they can be heard chanting Khoza’s name,” the report further stated.
In the 24-page report, the disciplinary panel indicated that Khoza had not challenged the evidence placed before the panel, and the panel had no choice other than to consider the case in terms of whether the conduct of Khoza could be excused.
In this respect, the panel found Khoza to be prone to conspiracy theories, aggressive behaviour, and even continuing to threaten the party with threats to damage its reputation further.
In the statement issued by ActionSA, National Chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party was pleased that its internal institutions proved effective in addressing this matter in a manner that was fair and decisive.
He said the party held “no ill-will” towards Khoza.
“While her actions may not have been excusable, Dr Khoza remains an individual who has played an important role in South African politics. We wish Dr Khoza well in her future endeavours outside of ActionSA.
“As a party, we cannot guarantee the conduct of our members. This lies with their ethics and values. What we can assure all South Africans is that unacceptable conduct will be identified and addressed both fairly and decisively,” Beaumont said.
Political Bureau