Johannesburg - The DA in the City of Johannesburg has opened a case of corruption against Council Speaker Colleen Makhubele.
The party has accused the speaker of using municipal resources for her private benefit and that of her party, the Congress of the People (Cope). The Star understands that the DA was tipped of by some whistle-blowers.
"The DA Caucus in the City of Johannesburg has today opened a case of corruption in terms of the Corruption Act (No. 94 of 1992) against the Speaker of Council, Cllr. Colleen Makhubele, for making use of City resources for personal gain," caucus leader Belinda Echeozonjoku said.
Echeozonjoku said the whistle-blowers who had tipped the party off had already lodged complaints with the Public Protector's Office and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
"The charges include utilising Joburg Market food packs for Cope-aligned residents outside of Johannesburg, abusing City vehicles for personal gain such as transporting friends, and providing City refreshments for personal and Cope-aligned gatherings," she said.
Echeozonjoku called for an investigation into the speaker's conduct. She said necessary measures had to be taken to ensure that city resources were not abused by those in positions of power.
"I have therefore, in my capacity as DA Caucus Leader in the City of Johannesburg, written an open letter to the Minister of COGTA, Thembi Nkadimeng, to seek clarity on the role and mandate of the Speaker, as her outrageous behaviour sets a very concerning precedence," Echeozonjoku said.
Responding to the allegations, Makhubele said she was shocked at the desperation of the DA to discredit the Speaker's Office.
"I expected the DA to play the ball and not the man; I never thought that the DA would collude with unknown agents to discredit me," she said.
Makhubele said she would allow the law enforcement agencies to do their work.
"I will wait for the police to contact me," she said.
Meanwhile, she said the investigations she had commissioned into the conduct of several DA councillors involved in corruption would continue.
The DA is accused of using the municipalities corruption busting agency, GFIS, to carry out rogue investigations against some councillors, especially those linked to the ANC.
The DA is also accused of using spy equipment in the City of Johannesburg to penetrate the lives of certain politicians and obtain information.
The Star