ANC councillors living it up for free: DA
Some ANC members are said to be living free of charge in houses owned by the Tshwane metro.
Andrew Ngozo
At least nine ANC members are said to be living free of charge in houses owned by the Tshwane metro.
The DA claimed some of the former and incumbent councillors owned properties within the metro yet lived rent-free in municipal accommodation.
Chief whip Swartland Jabo Mabona was doing so in Annlin, said DA shadow MMC for housing and human settlements, Elmarie Linde.
“This is despite the fact that he owns more than one property within the metro. His municipal services account is being paid monthly by the Tshwane metro. We have the documents to prove this,” said Linde.
“The accounts issued to the properties do not reflect payment for waste management as is the case for other residential accounts.”
The Municipal Structures Act, item 12A of schedule 1, states that a councillor may not be in arrears to the municipality for rates and taxes for a period longer than three months.”
Linde said councillors were not entitled to any housing benefits and this was stated clearly in the Public Office Remuneration Act.
“Therefore, this is nothing but abuse of power, corruption and fraud. This is a good example of a politician bleeding the city dry,” she said.
“The documents in our possession prove that the municipality foots the bill for the general maintenance of many of these properties.”
Linde said in the 2014/2015 financial year, R32 800 was spent on Mabona’s property while at least R48 762 was spent on a property occupied by a member of the mayoral committee in Erasmuskloof and a councillor residing in Garsfontein had a maintenance bill of nearly R63 000.
“This money was spent on the installation of a sliding door and garage door, a stove that was not working and repairs on a gate motor.”
The amount paid for this work was questionable as the charge for the type of work done was not market-related, said Linde.
“At a municipal property in Hertzog Street, Rietfontein, where a former councillor resides, a gate motor to the value of R11 664 was installed in the same financial year.”
Many top ranking officials lived in municipal-owned buildings, claiming maintenance to be done at the expense of the metro.
“A former ANC councillor who lives in Rooiwal, is nearly R200 000 in arrears for rent, but the city spent R51 700 on the property in one year, while another former councillor who stays in Bond Street, Sunnyside, owes R300 000 in rent,” said Linde.
She added that the parliamentary Chief Whip of the ANC was renting a house from Tshwane in Arcadia, using it as offices.
“Though the monthly rent is paid, the municipal services account is in arrears by R500 000, with the tenants still enjoying these services.”
Linde said the DA would insist that an audit be done of all municipal-owned properties and that steps be taken to collect the outstanding debt.
“The politicians and former politicians as well as top officials, have to be given notice to vacate these properties immediately, for municipal housing should be provided to scarce skill employees and employees who have to reside in close proximity of their work,” she said.
Linde said an investigation should be done into councillors in breach of the code of conduct for municipal councillors. The culprits should be prosecuted.
Tshwane ANC regional spokesperson Teboho Joala dismissed the allegations as baseless and devoid of truth.
“As far as I know, all the councillors and former councillors living on council properties pay their dues to the Tshwane metro.
They have not defaulted at all and they pay lodging, water and lights,” he said.
The Tshwane metro had not responded to a Rekord inquiry by the time of going to print.
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