CCC dispute continues in separate meetings

Cape Coloured Congress (CCC) members held two separate meetings in the past week to discuss allegations and present evidence against political party president Fadiel Adams.

Last week it was agreed that a “five-a-side meeting” would be held for concerned members of CCC to have their grievances dealt with by the party’s leadership (“CCC members lay charges against leader”, Plainsman March 2).

Mr Adams is being accused of transgressing the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), intimidation and threatening the life of a CCC member, who refused to be named and feared tarnishing the brand of the political party.

On Monday March 7 members gathered at the Apostoliese Geloofsending van Suid-Afrika (AGS) church in Ruyterwacht where CCC national political advisor Abdul Kareem Matthews gave an overview of challenges members have had in terms of getting answers to questions about the political party’s finances, leadership roles and allegations that Mr Adams was smearing members’ names on social media.

Next to him were CCC vice-chair of the northern suburbs steering committee Claudine Coleridge, Ryan Swartbooi, from Bishop Lavis, and Donovan de Jager, CCC regional fund-raiser.

“What is our next step for branch exco for the northern region? Do we accept the illegitimate imposition of dictatorial policies from the top or do we do something about it? asked Mr Matthews.

They claim they have proof that Mr Adams and secretary general Sakeena Frenchman were violating the party’s constitution by revoking members’ membership without holding any hearings.

Mr Matthews said when members raised questions, they were targeted and soon after would either resign or have their membership revoked.

Mr De Jager went through the financial reconciliation of the party, which they had a former SARS employee draw up.

He questioned the expenses of office costs, petrol and food bought at various outlets between October last year and the end of February.

“This only deals with money that was put through the bank account,” he said.

Mr De Jager claimed that there had been instances when Mr Adams and another party member would collect cash donations and that there was no record of these transactions.

Mr Matthews challenged Mr Adams to a public forum where he wants Mr Adams to present evidence, including quotes, receipts and invoices, disproving their claims of financial mismanagement.

“We have nothing to hide. We didn’t want to go to that meeting because of our safety. Now we are being named as cowards. We are told (by Mr Adams) you wanna run the City but you don’t want to come to Manenberg.

“We don’t want to run the City. We want to make sure that our people have a fair opportunity because we believe in this brand,” said Mr De Jager.

Ms Frenchman told the Plainsman that they were not aware of the meeting and that they had tried to speak to and work with the concerned members.

In a CCC Facebook post on Monday March 7 she reminded members that the party’s books had to be audited as the financial year ends on April 30.

“We will post the auditor’s report as soon as it becomes available,” read the post.

On Thursday March 3 at the Manenberg meeting, Mr Adams was flanked by proportional representative (PR) councillors Duwayne Jacobs, from Beacon Valley; Sakeena Frenchman, the party’s secretary general; Nadia Satarien-Joseph, from Ocean View and CCC national chairman Graham Malgas, from Ruyterwacht.

They said the other concerned CCC members did not arrive and, in emails to the proposed chairman Dean Goliath, a CCC member from Pela, had asked that the venue be changed.

“We have discussed the venue proposed by the SG and it does not meet our requirements for a venue that is safe.

“In the time that has lapsed since the meeting in Maitland, the President has continued to intimidate CCC members, proof of which can be provided,” read one of the emails.

They proposed that the meeting be either be held in Ravensmead or Ruyterwacht.

Ms Frenchman said they had had several meetings to explain the party’s financials and address members’ questions, but the same things were asked.

Mr Adams said he was done commenting on the issue and that the matter has been handed to his lawyers.