Tshwane ANC opens criminal case at police station against DA mayor for alleged fraud

The ANC in Tshwane has opened a criminal and fraud case against local DA mayor Randall Williams.

He even apologized

— DK Tsela (@kmablak) January 30, 2022

They opened the case on Monday at the Brooklyn police station. Spokesperson of the ANC Tshwane caucus, Joel Kgomotso Masilela, said the case was opened just after 10:00 in the morning.

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“The DA-led minority government must account and give a public apology for the misrepresentation of truth by its executive mayor,” Masilela said.

The fraud case reportedly stems from the DA making “unwarranted claims of a R4-billion deficit left by the city’s administrators appointed by the Gauteng provincial government”.

This comes after Williams claimed that the ANC-led administrators, who were appointed to lead Tshwane after a collapse of the metro council in Tshwane in 2019, left a R4-billion deficit behind them.

“During a council meeting on January 28, 2022, Mr Williams was asked to provide evidence of the alleged deficit inherited from administrators he often refers to as those of the ANC.”

Masilela said Williams failed in council to produce evidence to legitimise his claims.  

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He said Williams was also forced by the speaker of the council to withdraw his claims.

“We have thus decided to lay criminal charges against Williams for falsifying his CV and misrepresentation of a degree qualification.

“He has published in various print and electronic media platforms that he has an LLB degree from the University of Pretoria. He published the same information on the metro website, Facebook and Wikipedia platforms. We have, however, collected data in this regard.

“Our view is that Williams is a dishonest person, worst still that he occupies an executive mayor position. Based on all of the above facts, he should never be trusted by the residents of Tshwane and the South African public in general.”

Masilela said the misrepresentation of a CV was a serious criminal offence and therefore a criminal case had also been opened at the Brooklyn police station in this regard.

For the record:

If DA and Randall Williams say that I / the ANC is running a smear campaign about his falsification of an LLB from the University of Pretoria, why are they not pressing "crimen injuria" charges against me? I have been saying this since 2021 – take me to court!

— Kgoši Maepa (@kgosi_maepa) January 31, 2022

“Mr Randall Williams must resign with immediate effect.” Masilela said the call for resignation also stems from the Tshwane metro being in R635-million arrears to Eskom.

“The ANC caucus is disappointed by continued mismanagement of funds by the administration led by the DA and its minority partners – to a point where the City can no longer service or attend to its basic fiduciary duties and responsibilities.”

Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Sipho Stuurman said the mayor was unaware of any criminal case opened against him.

“We don’t know if there is a case opened; however, the executive mayor stands ready to respond to this issue through our legal teams.”

Stuurman said it was “nothing but a political stunt and a desperate attempt by the opposition party to discredit the mayor”.

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He said the R4-billion deficit incurred under the ANC administrators was recorded on audited statements by the City.

He said the metro had a R200-million surplus under the DA administration. This was depleted by the ANC administrators, who left a R4-billion deficit.

Stuurman said the allegations of qualifications were “ridiculous” as the mayor had all his spoken-of qualifications.

“The error was in the editing of his biography on our website, which said his qualification was from the University of Pretoria instead of the University of South Africa.”

Stuurman said, however, the fact was that the mayor’s qualifications existed.

“He is very much qualified with various post-grad qualifications, including a masters degree from the University of Stellenbosch.”

He said the mayor would further on be responding to this matter via his legal teams.

The police did not comment at the time of going to press.

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