ActionSA Tshwane House chaos to be investigated as ‘few’ members fight for jobs
A scuffle erupted among ActionSA members over the weekend during a meeting at the Tshwane house.
ActionSA is to probe the cause of a physical scuffle that broke out among party members at the Tshwane House in the Pretoria CBD during a party meeting at the weekend.
A video which recorded physical altercation among ActionSA members made the rounds on social media.
ActionSA interim national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the political party was investigating the incident.
“We will ensure that the matter is investigated and that those involved are dealt with speedily and in a manner that is consistent with our value commitment to ethical leadership – a standard that was clearly absent in the behaviour of some members depicted in the video,” Beaumont said.
ActionSA regional leader Abel Tau said the physical altercation involved a handful of the party’s members and was prompted by people who voiced dissatisfaction at not getting jobs though the party.
“The internal investigations are ongoing and they are not yet criminal investigations. The altercation was about people saying they had not benefited [getting jobs] and they want to benefit,” Tau said.
Tau said the regional leaders stood firm that the party would not be involved in dispensing patronage (the power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges).
“Unfortunately, there are elements that came to the party thinking being part of the party would give them government jobs. ActionSA leaders stood firm and said that was not going to happen,” he said.
“We were campaigning that we want opportunities for all and opportunities to be fairly distributed.”
Tau said the party would not have divisions within the organisation.
“Members of the party should understand that they will apply for jobs like everyone else and they will be treated like everyone else,” he said.
“The country is struggling with cadre deployment and patronage. We are very clear that we will not allow that.
“We are refusing to be drawn into the politics of patronage. The city of Tshwane as it stands does not have money, we cannot have a situation where we are bullied to give certain individuals jobs, we will stand firm on our values.”
ALSO READ: United star player joins rivals
Tau said there was an investigation to determine the variety of the complaints, “because it was not every member who was seeking patronage”.
“Before elections our number of members almost doubled and with that kind of growth you can anticipate elements that are not about the mission of the party. Unfortunately on the day in question, there was an orchestrated mission to destabilise the party.
“The whole thing was planned to try and embarrass the party through the kind of nonsense that we see.”
He said the perpetrators would be brought to book.
Tau said no one was physically hurt and no property was damaged during the altercation.
“In the meeting there were about 100 people and the scuffle involved about eight people.”
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said those behind the “unbecoming behaviour” would be dealt with soon.
“ActionSA is not going to be sabotaged as easily as that,” Mashaba said.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
