The ANC in Ekurhuleni has accused the DA of “cheap and opportunistic politics” following the DA’s accusing the ANC of fraud and corruption in the metro.
The DA, as well as Izak Berg, felt the ANC-led council was “brushing under the carpet” the investigation into alleged fraud involving senior officials and possibly politicians on the Qbit tender.
This company allegedly got the tender of R32-million in 2011 to do Ekurhuleni’s institutional review on behalf of the human resources department of the metro, but failed to deliver the work.
“It is not surprising that the DA has taken this route of accusing the ANC on this matter,” says ANC Chief Whip Cllr Robert Mashego.
“They accuse us of everything anyway,” Mashego says.
According to him the DA is the opposition and they will use any opportunity to portray themselves as saints at the ANC’s expense.
“This attitude of opportunistic and cheap politics ends up blinding the DA from making informed decisions on issues.
“We know that we have a duty to protect public funds and root out corruption and we shall do that.”
Mashego says the ANC does not want to be reckless or play to the gallery with the lives of other people.
“We must make sure that all process are followed so that the desired outcome is achieved, because as the ANC government we subscribe to clean governance and remain confident of our record in dealing with corruption in Ekurhuleni which speaks for itself.”
Mashego says while the ANC agrees that the process of implementing the council resolution of January this year to refer the matter to the SAPS Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has taken too long, the ruling party demanded and understood the explanation that was given by the metro’s city manager, Khaya Ngema, on why he had opted for the route of a forensic investigation.
He says the ANC subscribes and respects the country’s labour laws and that’s why they decided to allow all process to be followed before acting on the matter.
“The matter is now in the hands of the SIU,” says Mashego.
It was brought to the attention of the Gauteng MEC for Local Government and the Auditor-General as the council resolution in January had determined.
On the call by the DA that Ngema must be suspended, Mashego describes this as an “ill-informed and premature call”.
He says legal experts advised Ekurhuleni to circulate the forensic report to everyone implicated in it.
The metro then immediately demanded that this process be speeded up and this matter will be finalised in time before the council meeting of August 28.
“The forensic report will then be handed out to all councillors for deliberation on that day,” explains Mashego.
Read what the speaker had to say about the matter.
The DA and Irasa had this to say.
