CIVIC organisation, Save Our Berea, is calling on the City’s Investigative and Integrity Unit, together with the Hawks, to further investigate the eThekwini Municipality’s Building Inspectorate section, following the arrest of a senior eThekwini municipal official on Friday for allegedly soliciting a bribe to pass building plans.
The arrest came during an undercover Hawks investigation into the man, who is a senior team leader in the building inspector section at the municipality’s Development, Planning, Environment and Management department.
Durban Serious Corruption Investigation Unit officers received a complaint that the official allegedly demanded cash in order to facilitate the approval of building plans. An undercover operation was conducted and he was arrested after accepting a bribe. He was placed under arrest and charged with corruption. He appeared in the Durban magistrate’s court on Monday and was granted bail of R8 000. The matter has been postponed to 26 November.
Commenting on the arrest, Save Our Berea’s Kevin Dunkley and Cheryl Johnson said they had long been of the opinion that the town planning and building plan approval process was compromised and had suspected corruption was at play.
ALSO READ: War on town planning issues not over, say civic activists
“We welcome the arrest of a city official by the Hawks. We believe this is only the tip of the ice-berg. As our supporters are aware, we have been calling for an investigation into these departments for years but the politicians and city officials seem to have closed ranks to protect their own,” they said.
They said this cavalier attitude was borne out by the internal investigation carried out in the 317 Currie Road saga, where the City refused to release the report even though it only came about due to separate pressure from both Advocate “Pops” Aboobaker and Save Our Berea.
“We are only aware of the contents through the efforts of an internal whistle-blower. That investigation was damning and the City stands accused of failing to reveal its contents to the public and the Appeal Court of SA. We call on the City’s Investigative and Integrity Unit, together with the Hawks to revisit that investigation and look into many of the other dubious decisions made by officials. We also call on those honest officials, and we know there are many out there, to speak out because it is totally unfair for you to be tainted by the same corruption brush. These corrupt officials are a blight on the good name of our Metro and the time has come, to call a halt to their nefarious ways,” they said.
Levelling the playing fields
Commenting on the arrest, a local architect said it was high time the man had been caught after running a scam which he said was of immense proportions, openly, for a number of years. “It usually takes three months for plans to be approved, but through paying bribes, plans can be approved within seven days. What this now means for the city, homeowners and professionals with integrity, is that there is an even playing field, there won’t be someone taking bribes. Nobody now has a loophole to go through, it is a game changer for the city,” he said.
ALSO READ: DA calls for investigations into fraud, corruption in eThekwini Municipality
He urged people not to be shy to approach the city regarding issues with buildings they feel are ‘suspect’. “People who have concerns and complaints about buildings in Durban can now go to the city and ask questions like how these places are allowed to go up,” he said.
DA eThekwini caucus leader Nicole Graham said it was about time action was taken by the authorities regarding the department in question. She said while they were looking forward to more arrests, the need for the city to also act was crucial.
Corrupt officials won’t be tolerated
EThekwini Municipality Spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the City was on record as saying that under no circumstances would it allow illicit behaviour to flourish.
“We have said it many times that we will always cooperate with our law enforcement agencies in the endeavor to discharge their constitutional responsibilities. Our employees found to be on the wrong side of the law must face the consequences. The City declared fraud and corruption as its enemy number one. In the event that there is conclusive evidence to the effect that one of its own conducted themselves unlawfully, the City will not hesitate to act within the ambit of the law, to rid itself of such employees.”
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