Cape Town - The Hawks are following up reports that have emerged from three of the Western Cape’s 30 municipalities – Bitou, George and the Central Karoo District Municipality, which have been investigated for corruption in the last year.
The status update was the first of a series of quarterly updates from the provincial department of local government to the legislature on the status of all section 106 investigations. These investigations cover non-performance and maladministration.
The department’s specialised support director Gary Birch told the local government standing committee that the Matzikama municipality and the department were in litigation over the MEC’s right to appoint independent investigators under the Municipal Systems Act.
Committee chairperson Derrick America (DA) said: “We are fully behind the integrity of investigations currently taking place. We are concerned with the ANC-led Matzikama Muncipaility’s refusal to cooperate.”
Department head Graham Paulse said there were more and more whistle-blowers coming forward with allegations of corruption and maladministration in municipalities.
“Some of the cases are still being investigated and sub-judice so we won’t be able to divulge all the details as this session is on an open platform,” said Paulse.
This lack of greater transparency did not sit well with committee member Andricus van der Westhuizen (DA) who demanded details and said that without specifics the department’s presentation was of little value.
Van Der Westhuizen said: “Our meetings have a certain measure of privileges, and I fail to see why such information which I believe would assist this committee in understanding the extent and nature of the problem better, shouldn't be shared with us and the public.”
Committee member Nosipho Makamba-Botya (EFF) asked for an example of the process outlined by Birch of dealing with investigations in instances of allegations found to be insubstantial and not pursued further.
Birch said: “We have to provide the municipality with an indication of what the allegation against them is and enable them to comment properly on such an allegation.”
He said: “In such circumstances, we correspond with the complainant and indicate to them that if we can’t get any more substance to the allegation in order to enable us to ask the correct questions of the municipality, then we have to close that allegation and record it as not having any substance.”
Cape Argus