Africa-Press – South-Africa. City of Cape Town councillor Nora Grose, who is being probed for the alleged misappropriation of funds, has recused herself from the disciplinary committee investigating mayoral committee member Zahid Badroodien.
Badroodien stepped down from his post following allegations that he tampered with an electricity meter on his property.
City council speaker Felicity Purchase told News24 that Grose had voluntarily recused herself from the disciplinary committee hearing.
“Cllr Nora Grose has requested to resign as a member from the disciplinary committee, but due to the fact that we did not have a council meeting in September, that change in membership will only be included on the agenda for the upcoming council meeting in October,” she said.
Purchase added that Grose had not presided over any hearings for the year.
Grose is out on R10 000 bail after the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court granted her bail in May last year.
City of Cape Town accused of forking out almost R500 000 for DA councillor Nora Grose’s legal bill
At the time, the Hawks announced she had been charged alongside Reuben Swartz, who is the chairperson of the NGO, South African Religious Civic Organisation, for allegedly fraudulently claiming R297 800 from the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) and using it for personal gain.
Grose did not want to comment on the matter and referred queries to the speaker’s office.
Badroodien has denied the electricity meter tampering allegations and voluntarily stepped down, pending an investigation.
The disciplinary process stems from November last year after Badroodien temporarily moved into a vacant property that was constructed in 2019.
Two days after taking occupation, he was made of aware of the allegation of tampering of electricity meters on the property.
In January this year, Purchase’s office sent a letter, which News24 has seen, to Badroodien stating that she was notified that two private meters, which bypassed the city’s meters, were installed at the property registered in his name.
He decided to step down as member of the mayoral committee while the investigation was under way.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in the city council said they hoped the matter would be resolved soon.
EFF councillor Aishah Cassiem said corruption in the “DA was nothing new to us”, and there were much more serious cases than this.
“While we welcome the stepping down of Badroodien, I must stress that there are also so many allegations of impropriety against other DA representatives that are being overlooked.”
Cassiem added that those who are being forced to step down are always the black leaders of the DA.
“If we look at the former MEC for transport and human settlements, a black representative, who was suspended and forced to resign because of claiming to have a degree, yet the former DA chief whip in the National Assembly, a white representative, is alleged to have done the same thing and nothing happened to her.”
Cassiem added that the speaker and deputy speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature were alleged to have committed impropriety and had not stepped aside.
“But here is an allegation against another black representative, Badroodien, and he is forced to step aside immediately. This is typical of how black representatives are treated differently to that of white representatives in the DA.”
ANC city caucus leader Banele Majingo said:
“However, whilst we are not commenting on the matter, we want to make a point to the Democratic Alliance that no councillor is above the law and that all councillors must be treated in the same manner when it comes to DC [disciplinary committee] procedures.”
Marvin Christians from the ACDP said his party believed everyone had the right to a fair trial.
“We anticipate a strict and proper disciplinary process… As much as this is a political issue it’s important that the city shows its residents that regardless who you are you are not above the law,” he added.
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