Tlokwe’s mayoral spokesperson has accused the Democratic Alliance of what he called “cheap politicking”, following the party’s claim that it has laid criminal charges against the municipal manager.
Victor Boqo has come out with guns blazing, saying there is no evidence to suggest that the case against Dr Nomathemba Blaai-Mokgethi even exists.
In a statement a few weeks ago, the DA said it had laid charges of fraud, corruption, abuse of public funds and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
The corruption in question stems from the DA High Court case against Tlokwe’s speaker, Ms Barei Mosiane Segotso after she failed to convene a council meeting or entertain motions for her removal and the removal of the executive mayor, Mr Kgotso Khumalo.
“To the surprise of the DA councillors, who were also respondents in the court case, the municipal manager appointed legal representation, at the public’s expense, to act on behalf of the council. There was no council resolution on this and the lawyers weren’t appointed by the approved panel of attorneys,” the statement reads.
Boqo says “it is very strange that the DA claims to have opened the so-called fraud case without a case number”, and equally strange that “they go to the police now, after losing the case in the High Court with costs”.
On the issue of public funds allegedly being abused by appointing lawyers, Boqo says the DA’s statement is not clear as to what is so criminal about appointing lawyers on behalf of councillors who were cited in the court papers in their capacity as municipal councillors the speaker and the executive mayor and not in their personal capacities.
According to him, the appointed lawyers in question, Mazabane Attorneys and Associates are on the list of attorneys that were approved by council in 2014. The DA was part of that council meeting where the attorneys in question were approved.
“So, it is very clear that the DA does not have the best interest of this city at heart, all they want is power. They should go and read their council documents and stop lying and misleading the public,” he said.
“The MM has done nothing wrong in terms of the abuse, fraud and corruption alleged by the DA. The MM executed her duties with distinction and defended Tlokwe Municipality against the DA powermongers who took Council to court,” he said.
“In his allegations, Councillor Moolman claims that council briefed the appointed attorney to act for, and on behalf of, the ANC councillors only. He must indicate in which council meeting this was said, and by who. There are no council records to prove these allegations.
“The DA walks out of council meetings and even failed to attend a very important budget committee meeting earlier this month. What does this tell the voters and the DA constituency?
“The executive mayor condemns these allegations in the strongest possible terms,” he concluded.
