MEC must act against guilty ANC Ethwekwini councillors

KWAZULU-NATAL COGTA MEC, Nomusa Dube's must deal harshly with three high-ranking ANC Ethwekwini councillors, found to have conducted business worth R10 million with the municipality in breach of the council's code of conduct (see Mercury report).

The officials, who include the chief whip and an executive committee member, have been fined for violating the rules - a feeble punishment given the seriousness of the offence. What this means is that despite having been exposed as fraudsters, they will remain in office. This is criminal in itself. The DA in the Ethekwini council last week called for the Chief Whip to be dismissed and for the other two councillors to be given bigger fines but was outvoted during a full council sitting. The ANC using its majority to protect swindlers does not augur well for clean governance and the fight against fraud and corruption.

 According to council officials the final decision over whether any further action will be taken against the trio now lies with the MEC. The DA in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature is committed to pursuing this matter at provincial portfolio committee and will pressure the MEC to take a strong stand. Failure to do so will merely confirm that if you have the political clout you can get away with almost anything.

Statement issued by George Mari, MPP, DA KZN Spokesperson on COGTA, May 2 2012

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