The GOOD Party has submitted a motion of no confidence against George municipality Deputy Mayor Raybin Figland, and has requested a secret ballot to ensure that Councillors are not intimidated or victimised in their voting.

The party highlighted that its motion had been seconded by Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners Councillor Darryl Coeries.

Figland was accused of blackmailing a teenage girl into sending him nude photographs of herself.

GOOD Councillor Chantelle Kyd pointed out that the motion was based on the non-compliance of the deputy mayor in fulfilling his duties, obligations and responsibilities in terms of Chapter 10 of the country’s Constitution.

Kyd said the motion was also based on Figland abusing his office for personal pleasure and contravening the Code of Conduct of Councillors.

The party expressed disappointment with the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) conclusion of its internal disciplinary process of Figland which lifted his internal party suspension.

“The DA said they were unable to proceed with the investigation because the alleged victim was not willing to participate in the giving of evidence. However, an initial investigation done by the DA’s Federal Legal Commission's Glynnis Breytenbach had interviewed the victim, her father and Figland,” she said.

Kyd said the DA’s initial findings defined Figland as someone who “lies without hesitation” and that he had been engaged in “grossly inappropriate conduct”.

Kyd said the DA had the right to handle their internal matters as they saw fit, however, “Figland is not an ordinary member of the DA, he is a public figure who has been deployed in a senior position of power.”

“If the DA is unable to hold their member accountable for his actions, the council has a duty to the residents of George to step in,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the party pointed out that aside from its motion in council, the Public Protector’s office had assigned an investigator to GOOD’s complaint against the deputy mayor and the George municipality.

The GOOD Party said it anticipated a progress update before November 29.

“GOOD believes we need a zero-tolerance approach. Extorting explicit images from a schoolgirl is improper conduct and unbecoming of a public office bearer,” the GOOD Party said.