Last week the ANC exposed how Premier Zille continues to cover-up corruption in the DA controlled Swellendam municipality, by not requesting President Zuma to issue a proclamation authorising an SIU (Special Investigation Unit) investigation.

It is becoming clearer by the day why Zille and her (local government) MEC (Anton) Bredell continue to cover-up serious corruption and maladministration by their councillors in Swellendam, which implicates the leadership of the Independent Democrats, including Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille.

Today the ANC can reveal that according to a legal opinion obtained by Bredell, all rates collected by the Swellendam municipality since 2009, have been collected illegally (see document).

Ratepayers in Swellendam have a legal claim to recover these rates that the DA council has illegally collected from them. The net effect of this DA misrule has been to place the Swellendam council in a serious financial crisis, as the municipality's income for rates is not assured and the municipality is now liable to repay the ratepayers.

Bredell has been aware of this situation since before the May Local Government election, but has covered this issue up since the acting Municipal Manager of Swellendam informed Bredell in writing of this matter. Not once has Bredell made the public aware of the true magnitude of the crisis he and his party have created in Swellendam.

The ANC reiterates its call on the Premier to immediately write to President Zuma requesting a SIU investigation into the corruption and serious irregularities the DA is inflicting on the citizens of Swellendam.

Statement issued by Max Ozinsky ANC Spokesperson on SCOPA in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, September 29 2011

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