- The DA has filed a motion of no confidence against the Western Cape legislature's Speaker, Masizole Mnqasela.
- The motion was submitted on Friday morning.
- The motion comes after the party had charged Mnqasela with misconduct and suspended him from all party activities.
The DA in the Western Cape has submitted a motion of no confidence against the provincial legislature Speaker, a suspended DA member.
The motion was submitted on Friday morning against speaker Masizole Mnqasela after the party had charged him with misconduct and suspended him from all party activities.
The party's caucus leader, Alan Winde, confirmed that a motion against Mnqasela had been filed.
"In accordance with section 20(4) of the Constitution of the Western Cape 1997, a motion expressing that the house has lost confidence in the Speaker ... was submitted on Friday. The motion is submitted in light of serious allegations of misconduct against the Speaker, which are material to the Code of Ethics for Members of the Executive Authority and the Speaker's functions. The motion will be set for debate and a vote in the house," he told News24.
Mnqasela was subject to a disciplinary hearing last month where he faced off with the party's top brass over extravagant spending allegations. The DA unanimously decided to file a vote of no confidence to axe him from his position in the legislature.
The motion filed by the party's deputy chief whip, Diedre Baartman, reads:"(The house) has lost confidence in the Speaker's ability to fulfil his responsibilities as Speaker, and hereby removes the Speaker from office forthwith."
In May, whistleblowers handed over a mountain of evidence to Winde, revealing Mnqasela's travel and entertainment claims and apparent lavish spending while on official government business.
Mnqasela denied the allegations and, after being charged with misconduct, said the allegations levelled against him were influenced by a political agenda.
The motion will now be considered by the legislature's programming committee. The next house sitting will take place on Thursday next week.