ANC: Mashaba must take responsibility for covering up for associate Peetz
The party claims Mashaba protected Peetz from the council because of their business ties.
The interior of the new Joburg council chamber in Metro Centre, Braamfontein Pic: City of Joburg
In a press statement released a short while ago, ANC Joburg region has accused Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba of “covering up for [MMC] Peetz”.
Chief among reasons given as the basis for Mashaba’s reluctance for axing the MMC, who was previously “cleared for corruption allegations”, is that Peetz is Mashaba’s close business associate.
On April 23, 2017, the Northcliff-Melville Times published a news story that detailed how “upon the allegations being brought to the mayor’s attention, he [Herman Mashaba] commissioned an independent investigation into the matter”.
Former mayoral spokesperson Taverna-Turisan said the investigation “completely cleared the MMC”.
“It is disgraceful that the ANC would deliberately try and spread lies to discredit MMC Peetz,” he said.
At the time, Taverna-Turisan accused the ANC, which is an official opposition in the council, of “clutching at straws in its desperate attempts to discredit” the new administration in Johannesburg.
The party has now provided more substance to the allegations, which acting mayoral spokesperson Luyanda Mfeka has been requested to respond to.
READ MORE: Joburg mayor accused of being too soft on Sharon Peetz’s ‘corruption’
“Councillor Peetz worked with Mayor Mashaba as a business partner while she was a government official at Ethekwini … and transferred her tourism business to Mayor Mashaba, and both worked together soliciting business opportunities in Ethekwini.
“It is councillor Peetz who introduced Mayor Mashaba to Mmusi Maimane. Councillor Peetz, motivated to the DA in, particular Maimane, for Mashaba to be selected as DA mayoral candidate for Joburg,” the statement said.
Jolidee Matongo, the spokesperson for the region, is also concerned that given the allegations, Mashaba will continue working with Peetz as a business partner, and it is highly likely that the mayor will use City resources to sustain the former MMC through business deals.
The party says it will refer the matter to the police as well as the public protector “to ensure that the abuse of power by councillor Peetz doesn’t go unchallenged. We will also take up the issue of Mayor Mashaba’s culpability in covering up the abuse of power by Councillor Peetz”.
In addition to the queries forwarded to Mfeka, The Citizen has contacted the DA communications office, and their response is still outstanding.
