De Lille on the warpath against DA again, this time citing corruption in George

A forensic investigation report into alleged corruption involving a councillor and his son in the DA-led George Municipality has been handed over to the Public Protector by GOOD leader Patricia de Lille.

Comparing the alleged corruption to that of the VBS corruption allegations in Limpopo, she said: “It emerged that a similar investment and kickback scheme has been operating in the DA-led George municipality, in the Western Cape.”

De Lille handed over a document, including a forensic investigative report compiled by law firm Schröter and Associates Attorneys, which contain allegations that a DA councillor’s son was paid “handling fees”.

This was for reserve funding from the municipality, which went out for tender -- but instead the tender went to a financial institution who did even not tender for the investment, according to De Lille, who claimed the councillor’s son was given kickbacks that “evidently amounted to almost R400,000 in the first six months of the project”.

The alleged corruption outlined by De Lille is already under investigation. In August 2018 the George Herald reported on the suspension of the George Chief Financial Officer, Keith Jordaan for 60 days for possible financial irregularities, along with another councillor in the municipality.

EWN also reported that the Hawks had raided municipal offices and homes of persons involved, but no arrests had been made in the case.

“The CFO has been suspended for 60 days, and the 60 days have lapsed, the disciplinary hearing has not finished and this CFO is working again at the George Municipality,” De Lille told journalists on Thursday at the Cape Town offices of the Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

“No person deserves a cut of taxpayers' money because they or a family member are in government…. The ANC, EFF, DA must stop protecting corrupt politicians,” said De Lille.

This is not the first time that De Lille has confronted the DA, a party she quit last October. De Lille had been mayor of Cape Town since the municipal elections of 2011 but resigned at the end of October 2018, following what she labelled as an “abusive relationship” with the party, which is currently governing the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

The problems between De Lille and the DA date back to 2017 after allegations emerged that De Lille tried to influence the hiring of a municipal manager among other issues, leading to a protracted spat between members of the City Council, DA members and De Lille.

The veteran politician then resigned as mayor and party member at the end of October 2018 and shortly after, formed her own political party in November 2018, GOOD, where she stands as the party’s Western Cape premier candidate in the national and provincial elections which are now just over a month away. DM