ANC-DA spat over ‘awol’ councillors
The ANC alleges that two councillors received salaries "without doing their work" and that both weren't even living in Tshwane anymore.
Tshwane ANC has opened a corruption and fraud case against two DA councillors for “wrongfully receiving salaries”.
ANC chairperson Kgosi Maepa told the media outside the Brooklyn police station on Wednesday that DA councillors Johan Welmans and Ernst Botha were allegedly no longer residing or operating in Tshwane, “violating the electoral act while also not working but getting paid”.
“Information in our possession indicates that Ernst Botha (ward 44, Pretoria east) has emigrated and now resides in Oceania, New Zealand.
“Johan Welmans (ward 99, Cullinan and Refilwe in Metsweding) is now residing in the Western Cape (West Coast) and our information indicates that he sold his Tshwane property in 2020,” he said.
“There has been fraud and theft of council money.”
Maepa said the councillors, by policy, were expected to be in close contact with their voters on the ground and to keep the municipal council informed of the real experiences and views of the residents within the municipality.
“Ward councillors can assist their constituents and make formal complaints or petitions to the municipality and follow up on such action to resolution. We have seen councillor Botha do the latter via his New Zealand email.”
Maepa said they opened a case against chief whip councillor Christo van der Heever and speaker Katlego Mathebe for “misleading council” by not disclosing the whereabouts of the two councillors in a meeting held earlier this month.
The DA has, however, rejected the claims by the ANC describing them as “frivolous”. DA Tshwane regional chairperson Mpho Mehlape-Zimu said the accusations against wards 44 and 99 councillors Botha and Welmans were “nothing but cheap politicking”.
“Councillor Botha has been granted leave in terms of council’s leave policy and has travelled to New Zealand to support his wife during the past month. During this period he attended all committee meetings and ward responsibilities virtually,” she said.
Mehlape-Zimu, however, said Botha has since tendered his resignation with effect from 28 February 2021, due to family responsibilities. She said Welmans has been on leave since the end of November for medical treatment, and Botha from 21 December until last week, when he resigned. 
Mehlape-Zimu said Welmans was still a member of the party and would complete his term as a councillor.
“He remains a resident of Tshwane and the DA, therefore, rejects the false accusations made by the ANC in this regard. Councillor Welmans has been chronically ill for some time which resulted in him taking leave.
“Despite his unfavourable health, councillor Welmans continued to serve his community and participated actively in council and committee responsibilities.”
Responding to claims that the two breached the electoral act, she said: “It was not illegal as they were merely on leave. They were never permanently outside the region. The fact that you are on leave does not make it illegal.”
On the case against the chief whip and speaker, she said no policies were broken and no criminal activity was involved.
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