Cape Town - The SACP in the Central Karoo has asked the Office of the Public Protector to investigate allegations of maladministration, negligence and improper conduct levelled against Central District mayor Gayton McKenzie.
The complaint alleges that McKenzie has been in breach of municipal procurement processes and has undermined municipal legislative processes.
“McKenzie has misrepresented and undermined municipal legislative processes by inviting businesses to invest in the Central Karoo, particularly Beaufort West, using the position of mayor and the name of the municipality without following proper legislative processes,” read the letter.
He is also accused of “misleading” residents by raising funds for toilets and other projects, but the funds raised have allegedly “not reached the Central Karoo municipalities”.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Public Protector, Oupa Segalwe, said they have received the complaint.
“We have the complaint and it is still being assessed for jurisdiction,” he said.
SACP Central Karoo District spokesperson Mawonga Furmen said they want the public protector to investigate the claims.
“The funds he has raised have not reached the municipalities of the Central Karoo. The Central Karoo District municipalities mayor has allegedly deposited the funds in a private trust fund managed by his lawyers, whereas as a political office bearer he has no authority to raise funds and open trust accounts on behalf of the municipalities, he said.
“Again, he has not consulted the municipalities through a district intergovernmental relations forum or district co-ordinating forum. This means that the mayor has undermined and disregarded the law in favour of his own personal gain and that of his party, the Patriotic Alliance,” said Furmen.
McKenzie said he is looking forward to engaging with the Office of the Public Protector.
“As I have repeatedly said in the past, the council was aware of my intention and efforts to raise funds to eradicate all the bucket toilets in the Central Karoo and fix the municipal swimming pools. The fund-raiser had the approval of the council and all the funds raised went into a lawyer’s trust account.
“Every cent can be accounted for, unlike the endless millions of cents that have been stolen or squandered by this municipality and its so-called administrative officers in the past,” McKenzie said.
“None of the many businesses who have heeded my call to come and invest in the Karoo have done anything wrong. Their business premises are not council-owned, they have been given no council funds or special treatment, and no laws were broken in them merely doing something to boost the economy of this region, which has been on life support.
“I was driven to prove what can be achieved within 100 days, and I am proud to have kept my promises. I’ve come here for people who are desperate for change and who need hope,” he said.
A PA member said there were people who were trying to “discredit” the good work McKenzie has done in his first 100 days in office.
Cape Times