ActionSA has expelled its Newcastle local municipality caucus leader, Faizel Cassim, after he was found to have breached several ethical and legal standards.
The party terminated his membership after finding that he had failed to disclose a conflict of interest and abused his position of power to further his personal interests at the expense of the residents.
The allegations stem from an ongoing legal dispute between Cassim’s private company and the municipality, which was initiated after the previous ANC-led administration allegedly shut down his business for 18 months.
Michael Beaumont, ActionSA national chairperson, said Cassim has a right to seek redress in a constitutional democracy.
Troubling conduct
He, however, stated that the party’s investigation revealed troubling conduct while he was serving as both a member of the municipality’s executive committee and the party’s caucus leader.
He explained that ActionSA Senate concluded that Cassim failed to declare his role as a litigant in the legal dispute with the municipality, which he described as a failure that constitutes a serious conflict of interest.
According to Beaumont, the investigation also found evidence that Cassim may have used his influence in local government to secure a personal settlement, potentially violating municipal laws and ActionSA’s own constitutional principles of good governance.
“ActionSA’s investigations have already revealed, separate from the legal action for loss of revenue, that the municipality voluntarily agreed to settle R1.2-million in legal fees with Mr Cassim in March 2023, which was made an order of court,” said Beaumont.
Commitment to ethical leadership
“The fact that this was paid without any evidence presented of a resolution or record in council, which is required by law, and without any measures to disclose or mitigate an obvious conflict of interest, is of serious concern to ActionSA.”
He said it was for this reason that Cassim was released from his duties.
ActionSA also plans to file complaints with the public protector and the auditor-general for thorough investigation into these matters.
“ActionSA extends our sincere apologies to the residents of the Newcastle local municipality while offering the important assurance that ActionSA’s commitment to ethical leadership should be measured by how decisively and openly we address breaches of the public trust, a standard we venture we continue to.”
