An independent investigation into pay-for-jobs allegations against the mayor of the Drakenstein Municipality has been sanctioned by the entity’s speaker.
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Drakenstein Municipality’s speaker Koos le Roux says it is alleged that members of Mayor Conrad Poole’s executive have been paying him a monthly kickback. ‘A written complaint [was] received at my office, which triggered the prescribed process in terms of the code of conduct for councillors.’
Le Roux notes that the administration was asked to provide the names of qualified investigators by Thursday, adding that the scope of the forensic investigation includes the alleged contravention of the code of conduct for councillors. ‘The investigator will be briefed and requested to provide a report within 30 days.’
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According to News24, the investigation was prompted by the Good party’s request for a council investigation into claims of corruption made against the mayor and members of the mayoral committee.
Good Drakenstein councillor Keagen Gertse initially wrote to Le Roux last month, asking for an investigation. ‘Their silence on this matter has been deafening. Good calls on the DA to do the right thing and suspend Mayor Poole while the formal investigation is underway. This process should be conducted in a fair and just manner. Poole and his executive oversee an R3.4 billion budget; it is imperative that we confirm their hands are clean.’
‘The Office of the Speaker serves as an independent structure and has the legislative responsibility to administer the application of the code [of conduct] as far as it relates to dealing with alleged contraventions, investigations and possible disciplinary processes,’ says Le Roux.
However, Poole reiterates that he is innocent. ‘From the outset of these baseless allegations, I have pronounced my willingness to partake in any due process embarked on by either the DA or Drakenstein municipality.
‘The proponents of the impugned allegations seek to tarnish my reputation and tenure as mayor by instigating a smear campaign against me, presumably to gain a strategic political advantage of some sort.
‘I will continue to protest my innocence and I firmly believe that the outcome of the process embarked upon by the speaker will vindicate me of any wrongdoing as I have not committed any act(s) of misconduct.’
Tertius Simmers, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, says the party believes in the separation of party and state. ‘This is a Drakenstein council matter, and the DA Western Cape shall await the conclusion of their process and the council-approved report with recommendations that will come from it.
‘We request that the integrity of the governance process must not be diluted by local opposition parties seeking to politicise this.’
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Picture: Drakenstein Municipality / Facebook