DA REQUESTS PROBE INTO MISUSE OF COUNCIL RESOURCES FOR MAYOR’S DAUGHTER

Issued by Fred Nel, DA Tshwane Spokesperson on Public Accounts

It is with shock that the DA learnt that Tshwane Council VIP vehicles and body guards were used to escort the Mayor’s daughter to the Hatfield Community Court to appear on charges of alleged drug possession and assault on Tuesday 24 March 2009.
“The Mayor’s misuse of council resources for a private matter is shocking and can be viewed as a wasteful expenditure under the Municipal Finance Management Act. Consequently we will request the Council to investigate the misuse of Council resources (VIP vehicles and bodyguards) by the Mayor and her family” said Fred Nel the DA’s spokesperson on Public Accounts in the Tshwane Metro.
The DA also mentioned that the Mayor’s daughter did not qualify for such special treatment by the Council and should have travelled to the court on her own steam. Although the mayor attended to support her daughter it was a private matter and not part of her official duties, and therefore she did not qualify for the use of official Council resources.

DA Tshwane Pretoria Responds to the Carte Blanche Programme on Corruption in Tshwane

DA TSHWANE PRETORIA PRESS RELEASE

6 OCTOBER 2008

The Democratic Alliance in the Tshwane Metro has today reacted to the broadcast of Carte Blanche’s programme entitled “Tshwane, Capital City of Corruption”. “We have been raising these issues in council for months and months, but obviously the ANC led council refused to do anything about it, with the exposure that Carte Blanche gave these issues last night, the council will be forced to take action.” Said Natasha Michael, DA Chief Whip in the Tshwane Metro.

“We have been successful in the past in calling upon senior ANC office bearers to take action against various council officials, and we have again called upon senior ANC officials to take action. We have sent a letter to the MEC for Local Government in Gauteng calling upon her to suspend the Tshwane City Manager, Mr Kiba Kekana, pending the outcome of an investigation into charges leveled by Carte Blanche.”

The DA in the Tshwane Caucus has also submitted a motion of no confidence in the Mayor, Dr Gwen Ramakgopa following charges leveled against her and, asked for her immediate resignation. This will be the second time that the DA in the council has proposed a Motion of no confidence in the Mayor. “We are proposing this motion because the Mayor is the Political Head of the council and ultimately, she has to take full responsibility for all actions within the council. We do not feel that in this case an investigation needs to be completed first because there are issues that have come to light dealing with the abuse of tax payers money that are fact and do not need to be investigated.” Explained Michael. The motion has been proposed by Clr Natasha Michael and seconded by Clr Kate Prinsloo.

The DA in the Metro has also proposed a further motion requesting that the Speaker of Council, Clr Korombi Dau, enlist the services of an independent auding firm to investigate all the allegations leveled against the council during the broadcast. Clr Fred Nel, the DA Spokesperson on the Municipal Public Accounts Committee has already request the Chairperson of the committee to launch an investigation by the committee into the allegations “We will not allow these issues to be swept under the carpet, we will take all necessary steps to ensure that the issues are investigated correctly.” Said Nel.

All enquries: Clr Natasha Michael 083 282 0668