DA reports case of bribing ANC councillor to Office of the Public Protector

20 February 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Northern Cape will report the wrongdoing of ANC Councillor Barry Bosman from Upington, to the Office of the Public Protector following him being implicated in a case of bribery and abuse of power.

On Monday this week, the DA whip in DawidKruiper Municipality, Flip Van Der Steen, already submitted a letter to the Speaker of DawidKruiper Municipality, asking for Bosman to be placed on precautionary suspension following his suspected involvement in wrongdoing, including a voice recording in which he is heard allegedly bribing a foreign shop owner to elicit a R20 000 payment.

In reaction to the DA’s letter, we therefore welcome an announcement by the ANC yesterday that they are giving Bosman 24 hours to resign or face further disciplinary action.

The DA will closely monitor the situation and we will not hesitate to call for further action if Bosman is not removed from his position by tomorrow. We will not tolerate a situation whereby a councillor, who has been voted in by community members, seems to have so blatantly involved himself in criminal practices, violated the code of conduct and turned on the very people whom he is intended to serve.

The DA will also gather information relating to similar allegations of bribes occurring in other municipalities across the province. This, as we have reason to believe that Bosman is not the only ANC councillor who has been illegally eliciting money from show owners.

Corruption is eating away at our democracy. It is robbing citizens of money, services and dignity. It is a scourge that must be eradicated before we can get this province back on track.

Issued by Harold McGluwa,DA Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson & Chief Whip of the Provincial Caucus, 20 February 2020