Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Tshwane Council Speaker, Mncedi Ndzwanana, has ruled for a closed debate over a report that probed conflict of interest allegations between Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise and a service provider.
Earlier this year, the municipality commissioned an investigation into Modise and Triotic Protection Services after accusations that the deputy mayor was benefiting from a company doing business with the city.
Modise has previously acknowledged he was a director of the company, but he insists that he resigned before becoming an ANC councillor for Tshwane in 2023.
A final investigation report into the matter was tabled before the council on Thursday, however, Speaker Ndzwanana said its contents were confidential.
“Although Section 15(2) (of the Code of Conduct for Councillors) read with Section 51 (of POPI Act) requires that the consideration of this report be opened for public, I however rule that the reports be considered in-committee (in private) in-line with the provision of Section 42 of the Rules and Orders given the information contained in the report.”
Opposition party councillors have criticised the Speaker’s ruling, saying the report was in the interest of the public.
The DA’s Jacqui Uys said the Speaker had misinterpreted the legislation he quoted.
“Your interpretation is completely wrong here; the reason why the Councillor’s Code of Conduct says it should be open and the POPI Act does not apply to councillors is because this is in the interest of the public. In terms of the Councillor’s Code of Conduct Section 15(2), the DA will be treating this as an open report to the public and we will be referring your decision to treat it as a confidential report to the MEC (for COGTA) as you yourself are in breach of the Code of Conduct because it clearly says you should treat it as an open report.”
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
