GEORGE NEWS - The George Municipal Council has accepted the recommendation of a special committee that Raybin Figland - a DA proportional representative councillor - be found not guilty on all charges relating to an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
The recommendation was adopted at a council meeting on Monday 27 July, bringing to a close an investigation that began more than a year ago.
The investigation stemmed from allegations that emerged in 2025 concerning an alleged sexting incident involving Figland and a 19-year-old matriculant. At the time, Figland was the deputy mayor of George.
The allegations resulted in contradictory investigation reports and prompted Council to appoint a special committee to determine whether Figland had breached the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
The committee conducted hearings on 8 May and 18 June this year, during which Figland pleaded not guilty.
According to the committee’s report, prosecutor Cherise de Wet called attorney Frances Schroter, Cllr Gert van Niekerk and Speaker Sean Snyman as witnesses.
Schroter testified that her investigation had concluded that no action should be taken against Figland due to a lack of reliable evidence.
No verification
The committee also considered an investigation report compiled by the Federal Legal Commission. However, it found that the report could not be accepted as it had not been verified by affidavit from its author or through oral testimony.
A request by the prosecutor for a one-week postponement to secure verification was refused as it was uncertain whether the evidence would become available.
In its findings, the committee said some of the documents presented during the hearing had not been verified and therefore “could not be accepted in good faith”. It consequently recommended that Figland be found not guilty on all charges.
The committee further expressed concern that the author of the Federal Legal Commission report, Adv Glynis Breytenbach, had not appeared before the hearing to verify the report, despite what it described as numerous attempts by the prosecutor.
By adopting the committee’s recommendations, Council formally found Figland not guilty on all charges. The outcome will now be reported to the Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell.
Both Figland and Breytenbach declined to provide comment when approached for a response. No response had been received from the DA by the time of going to press.
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