The GOOD party said on Monday that it would approach the Hawks and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) after its now-former councillor in the Garden Route District, Donovan Saptoe, could allegedly not account for R162 000 in party funds.
National chairperson Sam Shabane said Saptoe was dismissed from the party.
He said in July 2023 the GOOD party took part in three by-elections in George and Saptoe was the campaign manager and his wife, Roslyn, acted as the administrator.
Shabane said a post-election audit of the by-election's financial records revealed that R162 000 of the campaign budget could not be accounted for.
"In addition, several suppliers to the campaign, whose costs have been claimed as paid for by Saptoe, were not paid and the party has had to pay them again," he said.
"On 11 September the party instructed its attorneys to issue a letter of demand, for the R162 000, to Saptoe, and his wife Roslyn Saptoe, failing which summons would be issued against them."
He said despite several promises from the Saptoes to account for the money, they were unable to do so.
GOOD spokesperson Janke Tolmay said the vacancy in the District Council "will be filled by a competent and committed member of GOOD from the District".
"The criminal justice system will determine the charges based on the evidence," she said.
Taking to his Facebook account, Saptoe said he had not officially been informed of what he said was the latest move to suspend him, adding that he would soon respond to all the allegations.
"I am only learning now in the media about the termination of my membership,” he wrote on Sunday.
"My last correspondence with the GOOD leadership was that they would respond soon in connection with the serious complaints I laid against the [Secretary General] Brett Herron.
"This is now how they respond by terminating my membership and withdrawing me as a GOOD councillor without any process.
“This in itself is an unlawful act by a party whose values are truth and trust and ‘speak up, don’t shut up’,” he said.
