Suspended Good Party MPL Peter de Villiers remains mum amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Suspended Good Party MPL Peter de Villiers remains mum amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Good Party secretary-general Brett Herron earlier this month said 66-year-old De Villiers had been “summarily suspended” from all party activities after they received a complaint of sexual misconduct from another party member.
“Good’s constitution is unambiguous on gender relations and gender-based violence. The constitution applies to all members, regardless of position. De Villiers’ suspension is not a finding of guilt; it reflects the seriousness of the allegations.
“The party will implement disciplinary processes to determine if the provisions of its constitution have been breached.
“Given the sensitive nature of the allegations, the party will, for now, be making no further comment on the matter,” Herron said at the time.
Herron this week maintained they would not be commenting any further on the matter at this time.
De Villiers did not respond to requests for comment on the matter by deadline on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, gender-based violence activist June Dolley-Major said she welcomed swift action from the party, in the interest of the victim, while the matter was under investigation.
“I’m glad he is suspended because I feel if there’s any allegation of (this) nature, the person should be suspended with immediate effect. It sets precedence, that irrespective of who and what position the person holds, any allegation, they will be suspended.
“This sends a message to the victim that ‘we listen’. I hope it will be a thorough investigation and that there is support for the victim,” she said.
De Villiers, a former Springbok rugby coach, joined politics in 2021, when he led Good’s campaign in the local government elections in Drakenstein municipality where the party obtained four seats in the council.
After two years as a Good councillor and caucus leader in the Drakenstein municipality, he took over the party’s vacant seat in the Western Cape Legislature.
Cape Times
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