Africa-Press – South-Africa. The GOOD party has laid criminal charges against one of its former councillors amid allegations of fraud.
The party said it had approached the Hawks to launch a probe into its Drakenstein councillor, Edgar Arendse.
It added it terminated his membership following a disciplinary hearing last month.
GOOD general-secretary Brett Herron said the party had reported him to the Electoral Commission of South Africa and opened a case with the Hawks under Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
“Arendse was found guilty on seven counts of fraud and breaching the Political Party Funding Act by a disciplinary hearing chaired by an independent expert.
“The charges against Arendse related to him illegally soliciting ‘membership fees’ and ‘funding’ from GOOD members and ‘donations’ from members of the public. All this money went straight into his pocket.”
Herron added none was declared to the party or deposited into its bank account as required by the Political Parties Funding Act.
He said:
Former Springbok rugby coach and GOOD mayoral candidate Peter de Villiers has been nominated to return to lead the caucus of the Drakenstein Council while also representing the party in the Cape Winelands District Council.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani confirmed to News24 a case had been opened.
“This office confirms that the GOOD party has laid a complaint against one of their officials, and the investigation is underway,” she said.
Arendse added he wanted to request that the party retract the statement it had issued on Thursday about the Hawks probe into him.
“I am currently busy with a statement. I will request that the party retracts its statement because the disciplinary hearing outcome is subject to review in the Western Cape High Court,” he told News24 when contacted for comment.
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