The war for Plettenberg Bay started with Adam van Rhyner, the Deputy Mayor, switching his vote from DA to ANC.

It has become a mammoth battle of moves and counter-moves that has so far only managed to drain the public’s money.

On the weekend, in the COPE disciplinary hearing of Adam van Rhyner, COPE failed to produce their coalition agreement with the DA. More disturbingly is that the DA Speaker, Annelize Olivier, soon refused to answer questions and walked out, forcing her testimony so far to be struck from the record.

Too me secrets, too many lies in Plett – when will they find the light of day…

The disciplinary hearing by COPE into Adam van Rhyner, the Deputy Mayor of Bitou, was held on August 16 and 17 in the Council Chambers of the Bitou Municipality.

COPE’s case is off to a shaky start – note the words in bold below.

Herewith is a short summary of the meeting that was issued to the media by Hardy Mills, the lawyer for the defendant:

1. Xolela Mjonondwana, COPE’s CPC Secretary who had previously attempted to remove Van Rhyner from his position, testified on Saturday.
2. The coalition agreement between COPE and the DA was not submitted as evidence in the absence of any witness present at the concluding thereof. It was conceded that any evidence referring to it from Xolela was inadmissible hearsay evidence.
3. Charge 2 [in-subordination and contempt to party structures] was later withdrawn.
4. On Sunday, Annelize Olivier, Bitou Speaker and DA Councillor, testified. After three or four questions about the statement from Helen Zille (copy attached hereto), she refused to answer any more questions and left.  Her evidence were subsequently struck because she refused to be submitted to cross examination.
5. COPE closed its case with the sole evidence of Xolela.

The Disciplinary Committee will reconvene on 6 September with Rhyner, the defendant, leading evidence.