The ANC is shocked by the revelation in Scopa in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature yesterday, that the provincial government has not yet asked the President to order the SIU to investigate the serious allegations of corruption in the Swellendam municipality.

This is in spite of statements by premier Zille that she has requested the president to issue such a proclamation. For instance in a DA question and answer session on Twitter in April, Zille wrote,

"We have asked the SIU to investigate. Waiting for President Zuma to issue proclamation. We did not ignore the corruption charges in Swellendam. We are following due process and referred it to the SIU."

In evidence before Scopa yesterday (21 September), the head of the department of Local Government,  Hildegarde Fast, admitted that no such request had been made to the President. This is in spite of the allegations of serious corruption in the municipality made by both the former municipal manager and the current municipal manager to Scopa in March.

On 3 March 2011, Scopa was told that under pressure from the then mayor, who was elected by the DA-ID coalition, the municipality had invested about R8 million with Quadrix Asset Management, despite a council resolution only authorising the investment of R3 million.

There are very close links between Quadrix Asset Management and the Independent Democrats. Quadrix also managed the levies of ID public representatives.

ANC member of Scopa Max Ozinsky says,

"It would seem that Zille has been less than honest with the people of Swellendam and the province. Why did she say publicly that she has requested the President to order a SIU probe when she has not? Is she trying to cover up corruption committed by the DA-ID coalition and protect Patricia De Lille and other ID members who have since joined the DA and who knew about these illegal activities?"

The ANC calls on Zille and De Lille to come clean on their role in covering up this corruption. We also call on the Western Cape provincial government to immediately submit a request to the president for an SIU probe into corruption and irregularities in the DA controlled Swellendam municipality.

Statement issued by the ANC Western Cape, September 22 2011

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