The ANC in the Western Cape has accepted councillor Maxwell Heins’s abrupt termination of his membership and resignation as a Cederberg municipal council member.
In his resignation letter, Heins claimed the ANC had changed and was no longer what it was when he originally joined the party.
He has been in the municipal council since 2019 following a by-election and stood again in 2021. Heins was also elected as Speaker.
The former councillor told the “Cape Times” that for now he was unemployed and would soon divulge his future plans, adding that he would will always find ways to serve people.
“Please be advised that I herewith tender my resignation from the ANC and consequently as the Ward 3 Councillor at the Cederberg Municipality.
The effective date of my resignation and termination is January 29, 2024,” Heins’s termination letter read.
“It saddens me to conclude that the ANC of today is no longer the ANC of Mandela which one joined originally. I wish to serve my community and can therefore no longer do so via the ANC.
I will find and explore other mechanisms and vehicles through which to achieve the goal of serving my people,” Heins said.
ANC provincial spokesperson for education Khalid Sayed said the party has accepted the resignation of the former councillor and that at this stage he had not stated his reasons for the decision.
“The office of the Western Cape secretary has processed his resignation and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours whether it be within politics, the private sector or civil society. Whatever the space he will go into next we wish him everything of the best. There will be a by-election in that ward and the party will only be able to replace him if we win that ward. We have not yet gone through the candidate selection process,” said Sayed.
Municipal Manager Gerrit Matthyse confirmed Heins submitted his resignation and that a vacancy was declared on the Cederberg council with the IEC and local government.
Cape Times