The GOOD party is probing sordid allegations involving booze, skinny-dipping and sex parties during a costly Witzenberg by-election campaign in April.
So shocking were the allegations that party founder Patricia de Lille flew to Cape Town and summoned members to the Pepperclub Hotel in the CBD halfway through the campaign season, on March 16, to address the matter.
“Some people drove all the way from George to attend this meeting,” party insiders told Weekend Argus.
GOOD volunteers, who were part of the campaign, wrote 18 detailed statements describing how MPL and national campaign organiser Shaun August and Witzenberg deputy mayor Felicity Klazen, both married, spent their time “sexing” and “partying too much” instead of rallying for votes. Volunteers also described acts of “gehoerdery” (acts of fornication).
The election campaign, which cost the party R200 000, is being described as a “disaster of note” after GOOD received only 10% of the votes – a 2% drop compared to last year’s municipal elections result in that same ward.
The party was so eager to increase support in the DA-run council that they deployed members to campaign several times a week over a nine-week period, while booked into the Dennebos/Pine Forest Holiday Resort. The resort is located at the foot of Skurweberg.
According to invoices seen by Weekend Argus, 30 GOOD representatives were housed in eight chalets. One chalet, which accommodates four adults, costs R942 a day. The invoices was issued to Klazen.
According to the statements, sent to Weekend Argus by a whistle-blower, August, Klazen “and their allies” did anything but campaigning. “We want to expose this so that GOOD people are not messed up in this drinking and sexing,” the whistle-blower said.
“Shaun August divided the party by partying during the by-election in Wolseley instead of garnering votes.
“In fact, party president De Lille was so unhappy she called everyone to a meeting at a hotel in Cape Town – late at night because the leader, Shaun, and the Witzenberg deputy mayor and some of the councillors who went to Dennebos at Ceres every weekend were just busy drinking and partying.”
The whistle-blower added: “We wrote statements, but nothing is happening. The people here are very unhappy with the election results, which are embarrassing but are because everyone knows that the deputy mayor was busy messing around with Shaun.”
While Weekend Argus only received four statements initially, it emerged during investigations that there were 18 statements in total from disgruntled party members.
“At one event, Felicity misbehaved by cursing GOOD leaders,” one statement read. “She even showed us youngsters her stinking panty.”
In another statement it was alleged that Klazen walked naked among the volunteers.
“She was laying naked on the bed in the same room where Uncle Shaun was,” read one of the statements.
“My cousin and I sat in the living room where Uncle Shaun repeatedly (sneaked up behind us) so he could go to the room where the deputy was laying without clothes.”
In another incident, Klazen apparently skinny-dipped in front of party members. “It was very unpleasant for us as youth belonging to GOOD to see the deputy mayor of Witzenberg swimming naked,” another statement read.
“We were all around the pool, but she had no shame in swimming without clothes.
“One youth leader present resigned as a GOOD member shortly after that incident. We were all very disappointed,” the complainant said.
“The type of behaviour of the so-called leader is very transient and not a good example for us as youth and for the communities of Witzenberg.”
In one of the most bizarre allegations, August and Klazen tried to get rid of De Lille.
“Around a fire, and after a night of heavy drinking, they plotted to unseat Aunty Pat.”
When Weekend Argus put the allegations to August, he said: “Out of respect for the internal party process, I will not address the allegations at this time.”
He added: “I have the utmost confidence that if these complaints or allegations are submitted to the party, they will be dealt with in the proper manner by the party according to the constitution, code of conduct and the rule of law.“
Klazen denied the claims made against her.
“I deny these extremely serious allegations against me, which I do not take lightly as a mother, wife and public servant,” she said.
“However, out of respect for the internal party process, I will not address the allegations any further at this time.”
GOOD’s secretary-general Brett Herron said: “I can confirm that we held a meeting in Cape Town with several members and councillors from the province, and where internal party matters were discussed.”
“I cannot disclose the content of confidential internal discussions,” he said.
Herron confirmed receipt of the statements.
“I’ve received several formal complaints that my office is investigating, in terms of our constitution, and we will make a recommendation to our national management committee once the investigation is concluded.
“Our party’s constitution includes a code of conduct that’s binding on us all. I am bound by a duty of confidentiality and to conduct the assessment of the allegations following an uncontaminated process,” he said.
“I, therefore, cannot confirm the nature of the complaints or who the complaints are from. I can assure our members and supporters that we will deal with any allegation that is substantiated by evidence.”
Weekend Argus was informed by insiders the meeting was “tense” and at times “heated”. “What happened in Ceres was morsig (messy),” another insider said.
“The whole election campaign turned out to be a huge disaster.”
During this meeting, party members were apparently “out of the blue” accused of sexual harassment. This, according to the same insiders, pushed De Lille “over the edge”.
Weekend Argus