Dalphine Tagwireyi
A year after Khanyi Segone was arrested for a range of different charges, the controversial councillor has finally been booted out from his position as the Victor Khanye Local Municipality (VKLM) speaker.
Segone’s removal comes a year after the EFF in VKLM had submitted a vote of no confidence against the speaker, which was ignored by the ANC.
On Thursday, the speaker was voted out of his position unanimously by councillors across the political spectrum, from the ANC, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Democratic Alliance (DA).
Segone faces 20 charges ranging from inciting public violence, discharging a firearm inside a municipal building, intimidation and assault.
He had initially refused to step down from his post, as requested by the ANC National Executive Council (NEC) 2017 step aside resolution.
The speaker allegedly threatened councillors against imposing a vote of no confidence against him, telling them they “seem to have forgotten who I am.”
However, ANC Nkangala spokesperson Sello Matshoga said the organisation was left with no option but to instruct the council caucus to implement the vote of no confidence against the speaker.
“The motion was supported by all councillors, as Segone refused to adhere to a directive that he steps down and as the ANC in Nkangala, we welcome the vote of no confidence against Segone,” he said.
A DA councillor who spoke on condition of anonymity said that this was a welcome development, as Segone is a known “bully” who sends his people around intimidating others.
“In one of the meetings, he had the audacity to threaten councillors present that they seem to have forgotten what he is capable of doing and seeing that he assaulted a policeman, as he thinks he is above the law,” he said.
Segone, a known Delmas strongman, was arrested in October last year and later granted R50,000 bail. Soon after, he was accused of intimidating complainants to withdraw their case against him.
Tebogo Malomane has been appointed as the interim speaker of the VKLM.
Image source: VKLM
