Child rapist Jeffrey Donson's loses mayorship but remains on Kannaland Council

Prof Jaap de Visser Director of the Dullah Omar Institute at UWC speaks to Refilwe Moloto about the political process that ensued.

• Child rapist Jeffrey Donson loses Kannaland mayorship in vote of no confidence but remains on council

• It is a victory, however, Kannaland is the weakest municipality in the Western Cape and this is not good for its political stability says analyst

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A motion of no confidence in the Kannaland mayor has succeeded on Wednesday. It means Icosa's Jeffrey Donson is out of office, as well as his deputy Werner Meshoe.

Prof Jaap de Visser Director of the Dullah Omar Institute at UWC, speaks to Refilwe Moloto about the political process that has seen convicted child rapist, and recently elected Kannaland mayor, Jeffrey Donson unseated with a vote of no confidence.

What does this mean for Donson's future?

Practically what it means is that he is no longer the mayor but he is still a councilor on the Kannaland Council.

Prof Jaap de Visser, Director - Dullah Omar Institute UWC

While this is indeed a victory says De Visser, it is never good for political stability to have such an occurrence.

These kinds of rumblings are not good for a municipality. Kannaland is actually one of the weakest municipalities in the Western Cape and really needs stability at the top.

Prof Jaap de Visser, Director - Dullah Omar Institute UWC

The question of how he was elected in the first place needs to be asked, says De Visser.

Firstly, there is a legal layer to it - the Constitution itself says that you can stand for councillor as long as you don't have a prison sentence longer than 12 months. His prison sentence was suspended - so there was nothing legally wrong with him being fielded as a candidate.

Prof Jaap de Visser, Director - Dullah Omar Institute UWC

In 2008, after he was convicted of raping of a 15-year-old girl during his tenure as mayor, his five-year sentence was later reduced to a suspended term of imprisonment, correctional supervision, a R20,000 fine and rehabilitation for sex offenders.

However, he says, it does raise concerns that political parties are willing to field such candidates knowing their history.

Secondly, he was voted into office, and as I understand not as a PR candidate on a party list, but as a ward candidate. So his picture was up on the poles and the ballot and everybody knew who they were voting for. I think there is a very serious question there.

Prof Jaap de Visser, Director - Dullah Omar Institute UWC

He says the ANC even reached out to Donson and his party Icosa (Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa) to form a coalition.

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