Action Society welcomes the removal of Jeffrey Donson as Kannaland’s mayor. A motion of no confidence against Kannaland’s convicted child rapist mayor was tabled in a council meeting held in the Kannaland Municipality on Wednesday, 19 January 2022, Donson, will however, still hold a position as ward councillor representing the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (ICOSA) party in the Kannaland municipality.
“We are very pleased the Donson has been removed as mayor – a position he should never have been considered for,” said, Ian Cameron, Spokesperson for Action Society. Though we still feel strongly that no government official with a conviction for child rape, or any type of criminal record for that matter, should serve in the public office. The government cannot say it is fighting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa whilst employing rapists. He adds: “Action Society believes that the only way to start curbing the scourge of GBVF in our country, is if the justice system clamps down on perpetrators and they get punished swiftly and harshly. The total opposite is currently happening. It seems like convicted rapists are being rewarded for their behaviour.”
The motion of no confidence comes after speaker Nicolaas Valentyn and acting municipal manager Morné Hoogbaard received a letter from Rodge Albertus of the Kannaland Independent Party (KIP) on 11 January 2021. In his letter, Albertus stated: “The reasons for my motion are that the Executive Mayor received negative publicity nationally and internationally, which directly impacted, and still impacts, on its suitability as public representative and figure of the Kannaland Municipality and the community (sic)”.
In November 2021, after the Local Government Elections, Action Society demanded the immediate resignation of elected Kannaland Mayor. In 2008 while employed as Kannaland’s mayor, Donson was convicted of statutory rape and indecent assault of a 15-year old girl in 2004.
The organisation also calls for urgent attention to be given on the functionality of the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) and its important role in our justice system which is the protection of the most vulnerable members of society. “All public representatives whose details appear in the NRSO must be removed from their positions with immediate effect. The regulations regarding the appointment of persons who serve in any public office needs to be reviewed as matter of urgency, we cannot allow convicted child rapists to hold positions of power in our country. ”
