Resigning Agang membership
AFTER much deliberation over several weeks, the individuals affected by last week's decision by the Western Cape High Court (regarding Agang SA) issue the following statement:
After the May 7 elections Agang SA found itself in the position that it faced extremely serious financial problems which had developed before the elections and which inhibited its ability to campaign.
Those problems were exacerbated by the party's poor election performance. Notwithstanding that it won two parliamentary seats, the result was such that hoped-for donor funding has not materialised.
In addition, the party's ability to address those problems and to stabilise itself sufficiently to function effectively and to carry out its electoral mandate have been crippled by the further problems which have beset the party since the elections. Those problems are in our opinion attributable to the actions of a group of members led by Agang SA's two parliamentarians, Mike Tshisonga and Andries Tlouamma, together with another member of the former NEC, Dr Titus Singo.
In an effort to stabilise the party and with good cause, we believe Dr Mamphela Ramphele, as Agang SA's founder, leader and president, exercised her prerogative to appoint a task team to investigate and advise on the post-election status of Agang SA. She also reconstituted the depleted and dysfunctional former NEC.
The actions of Tshishonga, Tlouamma, Singo and their group, which amounted to a vicious and unrelenting attack on Ramphele's reputation, ultimately led her to withdraw from Agang SA and from party politics. By the time of Ramphele's withdrawal, disciplinary proceedings had been started against Tshishonga, Tlouamma, Singo and their adherents relating in particular to a meeting held on June 29 when the group formed an "interim NEC" and voted to replace Ramphele with Tshisonga as acting president.
As was anticipated, the group then last week launched a court challenge in the name of Agang against the authority of the reconstituted NEC and the disciplinary action that was being taken against them.
The group has been granted a temporary interdict pending the return date of July 23 (tomorrow) when the matter will be finally decided and the effect of the order is also that they have been declared the lawful NEC of Agang SA.
The effect of the order is also that we are precluded as a group from doing anything in a representative capacity in the name of Agang. Considering Agang SA's financial circumstances and anticipating a court application by the group, a decision had already been made that it would not be advisable to become locked into a protracted and expensive court battle as it would only worsen Agang's financial situation and ability to meet its debts.
A protracted court battle would also further erode what little public confidence is left in the future of Agang SA.
It has also been noticeable that the group does not seem to be operating under any financial constraints. It remains to be seen whether those financial resources will be employed to honour Agang SA's obligations to its creditors.
We trust that they will do so.
Another reason for not wishing to engage in a court battle is that the task team as appointed by Ramphele has now released its final report, based on an objective investigation of the operational status of the party and a public perception survey. The report confirms that irreparable damage has already been done to the brand of Agang SA.
We have therefore individually resolved to resign as members of Agang SA and to encourage like-minded members of the party who do not wish to associate or align themselves with those now declared to be in control of Agang SA, also to resign their membership and to join us in a new civic initiative.
Philip Machanick, Grahamstown
