City of uMhlathuze to investigate DA councillor over alleged misconduct
Botha said the matter will be dealt with as it arises
THE City of uMhlathuze council yesterday (Wednesday) took the decision to institute an investigation of misconduct into DA councillor Christo Botha for allegedly breaching the Councillor’s Code of Conduct and bringing the council’s name into disrepute.
This after Botha earlier in the week released information on a so-called ‘mayoral mansion’ worth R20-million under construction in Richards Bay.
‘Council instructed the Municipal Manager to appoint an independent investigator to initiate the investigation on Cllr Botha following a media statement attributed to his personal name as a DA Councillor on Sunday, containing factual misrepresentation thus deliberately misleading the public through the media,’ said City Communications Manager Mdu Ncalane.
‘The ANC majority in council is obviously trying to intimidate the minority opposition councillors with their vicious personal attacks and intended prosecution,’ said Botha.
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‘If the matter of the mayoral residence was dealt with in an open and transparent manner we would not have been at this juncture.
‘The ANC majority in council took this decision without the support from the DA, IFP or EFF.
‘Their hard-handed approach even resulted in a member of the public being removed with force and manhandled in the process of being expelled from council chambers.’
Botha had claimed the municipality was building a 920 square metre mansion, complete with guards’ quarters and a garden, valued at about R20-million for mayor Mhlongo.
Included in his calculations were the land valued at between R5 and R6.5-million, estimated building costs of R13 500 per square metre, a boundary wall, landscaping, and paving and security features valued at about R2-million; furniture and interior decoration valued at between R750 000 and R1.5-million, and housekeeping and garden maintenance costs ranging from R20 000 to R25 000 a month.
He also said the project had not been tabled at council.
Disputing this, Ncalane said the project was started in 2008 and effected in 2014, and subsequently tabled in council structures.
Ncalane also said the municipality has cash reserves of R1 000 000 and is not cash-strapped as stated by Botha.
‘According to the Standing Rules of Order, the Chief Whip is the custodian of discipline in the council and will take a lead on Cllr Botha’s investigation and all other processes to follow if there is material evidence of misconduct by Cllr Botha.’
