The DA has concluded a comprehensive disciplinary process whereby charges were laid against DA Ward 1 Councillor Stanford Slabbert for the circulation of an offensive and racist email. This gave rise to a disciplinary hearing attended by Cllr Slabbert and the legal representative defending him, with the DA providing a prosecution and a disciplinary hearing panel.
The recommendation by the Provincial Disciplinary Council was that Cllr Slabbert’s party membership be terminated after he was found guilty of contravening clauses 2.5.3.4, 2.5.3.5 and 2.5.3.6 of the DA Federal Constitution. This was confirmed by the Provincial Executive Committee.
In terms of the Federal Constitution any member, including a public representative, is guilty of misconduct if he or she:
- 2.5.3.4 fails to carry out his or her duties or responsibilities according to standards set by the Federal Council of the Party or of the relevant Provincial or Regional Council as embodied in the applicable Code of Conduct, or to standards required by any statutory rules of conduct required by the public office he or she holds;
- 2.5.3.5 brings the good name of the Party into disrepute or harms the interests of the Party;
- 2.5.3.6 acts in a manner that is unreasonable and detrimental to internal co-operation within the Party;
The actions by Mr. Slabbert are contrary to the values of the DA and are condemned in the strongest manner.
The hearing panel found the content of the e-mail as divisive, insensitive and containing statements that can be classified as racial stereotyping and racist by nature.
The forwarding of the e-mail by Mr. Slabbert brought the name of the party into disrepute and did not reflect it as being a non-racial party for all voters who subscribe to its principles and values. Non- racialism and equality for everyone is a founding and fundamental principle of the DA.
Public representatives have an important role to play in ensuring that they adhere to, live and personify the values and principles of the DA as an elected public representative representing the party at all times. The DA’s Federal Constitution, Code of Conduct for Public Representatives and the Values and Attitudes Statement and all other relevant policies require such behaviour unequivocally.
Athol Trollip, MPL
Editor: I suppose this is the point that everyone stops and expects me to say that I am an idiot? Well I must be then as I still fail to see that the forwarding of the e-mail was racist. Maybe the forwarding of the e-mail was a career limiting move in a supposedly PC environment, but racist? NO!
Port Elizabethan
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As a new resident in his ward I’d like to thank Cllr Slabbert for his hard work and commitment, He will be missed and I hope that he will bounce back from this without bitterness in his heart.
Although I sympathise with unwise and impulsive posting, having fallen into it myself more than once in the past, I do understand the Committee’s decision and accept it. That email was upsetting, insensitive and outright unacceptable. It not only put the DA into disrepute, it made life even more difficult for DA candidates in ANC strongholds; and with the elections looming mistakes cannot be afforded.
It’s no defence to say he didn’t look at it before forwarding. Not in this day and age; who’s to know, after the fact, what really happened? All people know is that some toxic so-called ‘humour’ has arrived in their in-box and the DA’s name is all over it. They really had little choice but to crack down hard.
But all the same I am very sorry this has happened, wish the Councillor everything of the best, and can only hope that whoever fills his shoes will do as well for the people of Summerstrand.