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Avril Harding

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Avril Harding
human
Ein sex anaa gendermale Edit
Ein country of citizenshipSouth Africa Edit
Name wey dem give amAvril Edit
Family nameHarding Edit
Ein date of birth11 September 1960 Edit
Languages edey speak, rep anaa signEnglish Edit
Ein occupationpolitician Edit

Avril Harding (wey dem born 11 September 1960) be South African politician wey be de first secretary-general for de Independent Democrats (ID) from when dem start de party for June 2003 go reach July 2007. E too represent de party insyd National Assembly from April 2004 to August 2007, under de Western Cape constituency.

Independent Democrats: 2003–2007

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Before, Harding be de elections manager for Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), plus say e work close with PAC politician Patricia de Lille,[1][2] especially during de party ein 1999 general election campaign. When de floor-crossing window open for 2003, de Lille comot PAC go start new party wey dem call Independent Democrats (ID), Harding follow am as co-founder.[3] Dem make Harding de first secretary-general for de party, plus Monique Enser as ein deputy.[4]

National Assembly

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Insyd de 2004 general election, Harding win seat for National Assembly. He be one of de seven ID members wey enter Parliament, plus Cecil Burgess, dem be de two wey represent Western Cape constituency.[5][6] As he still hold ein post as ID secretary-general, dem appoint am again as de party ein chief whip for Parliament.[7]

Insyd early 2005, internal wahala start when Lennit Max, ID leader for Western Cape, face party disciplinary hearing sake of allegations say Harding plus de Lille collect donation from one man dem talk say be drug kingpin, Quintin Marinus. De Lille get info say National Prosecuting Authority dey investigate dem, plus she think say na Max leak de matter through ein police links.[8][9] Max insist say Harding and de Lille really collect de money, but de ID party deny am strong.[10]

By early July 2007, ID hold elective conference insyd Cape Town, den Harding lose ein position as secretary-general. Dem replace am with Haniff Hoosen.[11]

Sexual harassment complaint

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Few days after de 2007 elective conference, ID summon Harding go disciplinary hearing for dem office. Dem charge am say he do sexual harassment. De complaint come one month before from Agnes Tsamai, wey just win position as ID deputy president dat same weekend. She talk say for party event wey happen for Klerksdorp on 2 June, Harding make sexual move give am—say he even call am for phone beg am make she come ein hotel room make dem sleep together. But dem postpone de disciplinary hearing.[11]

Expulsion

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As de case still dey ground, insyd August 2007, ID cut Harding comot from de party. Dem talk say Harding dey plan defect go join new party wey dem call de Social Democrats during de upcoming floor-crossing window. So he lose ein seat for National Assembly on 22 August 2007, because once you lose party membership, you no fit remain MP. Haniff Hoosen wey replace am as secretary-general earlier now take over. Harding try go court fight de matter, but de Cape High Court dismiss ein legal challenge. So de internal sexual harassment case no get meaning again. Later, Hoosen talk say “some people for ID” try destroy ein life permanently.[12]

Congress of de People

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After dem establish Congress of de People (COPE) for 2008, Harding join dem plus run for election under dem name for de 2009 general election.[13] But de position wey dem put ein name for de party list low, so he no win any seat. Still, after de election, COPE announce say Harding go work full-time for dem headquarters as head of administration for Parliament.[14]

References

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  1. ↑ "De Lille in accident". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 1999-05-17. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  2. ↑ "PAC fights for forgotten towns". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 1999-05-07. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  3. ↑ "Harding booted out of ID". IOL. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "De Lille rolls up her sleeves, announces executive". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2003-06-23. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  5. ↑ "Few surprises on candidates lists". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2004-04-20. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  6. ↑ "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Learning to let go". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2004-05-14. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  8. ↑ "ID leader refuses to identify Scorpions source". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2005-02-21. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  9. ↑ "Max drops lawsuit". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2005-01-28. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  10. ↑ "ID war of words rages on". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2005-01-27. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "ID mum on Harding sex charges". News24 (in American English). 10 July 2007. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  12. ↑ "ID charges sacked secretary general with theft". The Mail & Guardian (in English). 2007-11-15. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  13. ↑ "2009 National and Provincial Election – Final Candidate Lists" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Expelled ID man now COPE's admin head". IOL. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
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