Africa-Press – South-Africa. Pretoria – Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is yet to make a decision on whether to probe allegations that two DA councillors in Tshwane have each been pocketing R52 000 monthly salaries without doing any work.
This was after ANC chairperson and leader in council Dr Kgosi Maepa lodged a complaint that councillors Ernst Botha and Johan Welmans contravened the Electoral Act, stipulating that ward councillors must reside within the area of jurisdiction.
Botha was said to be residing in Oceania, New Zealand, while Welmans was suspected to be in the West Coast, Western Cape.
Mkhwebane’s spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said: “For the record, the complaint was received and there is no decision on whether or not to investigate yet.”
He said the matter was still being assessed for jurisdiction and merit.
Maepa also laid criminal charges against the two councillors at Brooklyn Police Station, and the matter is still under investigation.
He has asked the public protector to assist the people of Tshwane to recover the money earned by the two councillors from last year.
In his submission, Maepa claimed Welmans had sold a property he owned in Tshwane, but the councillor dismissed the claim as untrue, saying he rented a flat. Welmans said he moved to the Western Cape to be in the care of his son after he was diagnosed with kidney failure.
He is on a sick leave until February 28.
DA regional chairperson Mpho Mehlape-Zimu defended the two, saying accusations against them were “frivolous and cheap politicking”.
Botha, she said, travelled to New Zealand to support his wife during the past month after he was granted leave in terms of the council’s leave policy. She said the councillor had tendered his resignation with effect from February 28 due to family responsibilities.
Pretoria News
