‘No councillors, only hungry hypocrites’
Cllr Thwala said he was surprised to learn that Treasury’s forensic report had been finalised and sent to Newcastle Municipality.
EFF councillor, Musa Thwala, feels that the factional fighting within the ANC may have been the best thing to happen in Newcastle.
“Not only has it exposed the rot, it also shows us that the ruling party has never had any real opposition. I believe that there are opposition councillors who are in the pocket of the ruling party. If all councillors have the community’s interest at heart, we would not have fraud taking place. Instead, none of the councillors were strong enough to challenge the decision taken by council’s leaders. Councillors have a responsibility to protect taxpayers money, instead some of them are just there to enrich themselves,” said Cllr Thwala.
“In Newcastle, we don’t have councillors. We have hungry hypocrites,” added Cllr Thwala, referring to those involved in fraudulent activities. “The issues we have been raising for years are finally being exposed, and now it is time for the opposition parties to take a stand and see to it that cases are opened against anyone who was involved in any form of corruption. Justice must be done,” said Cllr Thwala.
Cllr Thwala said he was surprised to learn that Treasury’s forensic report had been finalised and sent to Newcastle Municipality.
“Three months ago, I asked, in a council meeting, for the forensic report, and I was misled and told that there is no report. I believe the ANC kept the report hidden. They knew their members were involved, and they may even have wanted to protect the officials who were part of the corruption that took place.”
After reading about the report in the Newcastle Advertiser, Thwala stated that he would love to have a one-on-one with former mayor, Afzul Rehman, and to ask Mr Rehman about the debt that he allegedly left the municipality in, with the construction of the new municipal building.
“That building is a pain to the council. The interest on the loans taken for that building are crippling the municipality. Even the extension of the lease on the Nedbank building happened under Cllr Rehman’s watch,” said Cllr Thwala, adding that the extension of the lease was signed, despite a council resolution to the contrary.
“How can Rehman claim that the town was better off when he was here? I find that so irritating,” he stated, alleging that it would take years to clear the debt incurred when Mr Rehman was mayor.
Acting municipal manager, Muzi Mayisela, also came under fire, as the forensic report recommends that criminal action be taken against Mr Mayisela for allegedly not acting in the best interest of the municipality during his time as Chief Financial Officer.
“We cannot allow the municipality to be led by people who were implicated in the investigation,” said Cllr Thwala.
“How can you allow people who are implicated in alleged corruption to occupy high positions in the municipality, when they seem to have played a role in collapsing the very same municipality. We always suspected that certain things were hidden, but we were never able to obtain tangible proof. Once a case is opened, the EFF will demand that certain officials be recused until their guilt or innocence can be proven.”
Prior to the publication of last week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser, Mr Mayisela said that he was on leave at the time when the incidents detailed in the forensic report took place, and he could, therefore, not comment on allegations of corruption.
He could not be reached for comment prior to this article going to print and communications officer, Dumisani Thabethe, advised that Mr Mayisela is unavailable.
Mr Thabethe also indicated that mayor, Ntuthuko Mahlaba, who is also the regional chairperson of the ANC, is unavailable for comment.
Cllr Rehman was approached for comment on all of the allegations levelled against him by opposition parties and his comment is covered in a blanket statement he offered for this publication.
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