After being dared in council to lay corruption charges against former ANC office bearers, Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga did just that.
Independent Online have reported that he laid the charges against three high-ranking officials of the Ramokgopa administration at the Brooklyn police station on Wednesday, among them political office-bearers and an administrator.
SEE ALSO: Tshwane’s DA mayor tells former ANC majority they’re ‘heading to prison’
The charges were based on a forensic report regarding the refurbishments of the Pretoria City Hall as well as the official residence of the mayor.
The mayor’s spokesperson, Matthew Gerstner said a criminal case was opened at the Brooklyn police station in Tshwane on Wednesday and charges related to fraud, corruption and misuse of public money.
“The charges relate to two projects, the upgrades at the City Hall and the Mayoral Residence.
“A lot of money went into these projects but the final result on both projects does not justify the expensive price-tag.
“Unfortunately we cannot name the involved individuals but police are investigating the matter and we hope arrests would be made soon,” said Gerstner.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela confirmed that the matter was reported to the police and said it will be handed to the Hawks for investigation.
Both projects cost the municipality a combined R190 million and involved the same three officials, who served in the previous local government.
During the first council sitting under DA rule last week, Msimanga waved copies of what he described as five damning forensic investigation reports at ANC councillors and said he would expose the rot that was eating away at the heart of the capital.
“The forensic investigation that was conducted revealed that money had been siphoned to revamp the city hall and also the mayor’s official residence. More than R190m was siphoned. We are saying the money needs to be accounted for, and we need to make sure that the culprits are brought to book,” Msimanga said outside the police station.
The three individuals were key to the investigation, he said, while three entities were contracted to complete the project.
“The suspects are known, but we don’t want the people to be prosecuted in the media. The forensic investigations make specific references to individuals who were directors of these companies. The companies have since become involved in projects in other municipalities in the country.
“On the initial report, there are six people; three of them are key to this report and they were the decision-makers responsible for signing off the project. It also looks at three entities that were involved.”
Msimanga said data captured in the report was collected over a period of about 11 months, and he was thus surprised that no action was taken against those implicated.
“The forensic investigation took a year – from the beginning of last year to November – but what is telling is that after the forensic investigation was completed and submitted, nobody took action from the city’s side. They failed to act on the recommendations in the report.
“Therefore, that raises further questions that will be investigated as to how deep is the rot; we will clean the rot.”
Police spokeswoman Captain Augustinah Selepe said the matter would be referred to the commercial crimes unit.
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