Convicted rapist serving as Municipal Mayor FINALLY kicked out of office

The Kannaland Municipality has come to its senses in the last few weeks, following an ugly episode which saw a convicted rapist elected as its Mayor. The Western Cape district has endured two months of negative headlines, after the ICASA-led coalition was initially supported by the ANC.

Convicted rapist LOSES Municipal Mayor seat

However, the ANC eventually decided to pull its support from the agreement, making life extremely difficult for Jeffrey Donson. The ICASA candidate was convicted in 2008, for the rape of a minor.

He has since served his time, but Donson isn’t exactly seen as the type of person who should be leading an entire municipality. On Wednesday, a motion of no confidence was put to the Kannaland Council.

As expected, Jeffrey Donson has now bee kicked out of office, after the no-confidence vote earned comprehensive support. There has been little sympathy for the former mayor’s demise, and it has showed online:

Good news.

A convicted rapist is no longer mayor of Kannaland.

— Ashley Mendelowitz (@AshMendelo) January 19, 2022

Who will run Kannaland now?

Werner Meshoa, the deputy leader serving under Donson, lost his position too. Just for good measure, Meshoa has also been previously convicted for fraud offences, leaving another sour taste in the mouths of voters.

Nicolaas Valentyn, the House Speaker in Kannaland, will now assume leadership of the municipality.

The crimes of Jeffrey Donson

Donson was convicted of statutory rape and indecent assault while Kannaland mayor in 2008. He was found GUILTY of raping a 15-year-old in 2004 and was initially sentenced to five years in prison.

He appealed to the Western Cape High Court, and while his conviction wasn’t overturned, his sentence was reduced to a suspended term of imprisonment, correctional supervision, a R20 000 fine, and a rehabilitation programme for sex offenders. In 2008, Dobson was re-elected to the council.