Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
The eThekwini metro has appointed its integrity unit to investigate claims of corruption in a R48 million water project by three Democratic Alliance (DA) Chatsworth councillors — allegations that have thus far been dismissed by the party’s KwaZulu-Natal leadership.
Last month a full council meeting unanimously resolved to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against the three councillors by their former colleague, Ronnie Pillay, who claimed the matter was covered up by DA MPL Mergen Chetty.
They did so in response to a motion brought by African Democratic Change (Adec) councillor Visvin Reddy, which was based on an exposé by the Mail & Guardian a month before of the alleged attempt by Chetty, the DA Chatsworth constituency chairperson, to suppress the investigation.
Pillay had previously reported the three councillors to the party leadership, claiming they had collected bribes from contractors involved in a tender last year to replace water mains across three Chatsworth wards held by the party.
Pillay recorded a meeting held at the Chatsworth DA constituency office in which Chetty allegedly told the councillors to regularise the payments from contractors by channelling them through the party’s constituency funds.
But provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson downplayed PIllay’s claims, saying he had failed to provide the party with proof of his allegations and that he had made them ahead of a move to the ANC.
Macpherson also accused Pillay of failing in his duties as a councillor and said this was among the reasons for him making the claims of corruption.
Pillay resigned from the DA in March and in May contested the by-election in ward 73 on an ANC ticket and lost.
On Tuesday, the eThekwini executive committee met to discuss the motion and agreed to refer the matter to the speaker, Thabani Nyawose, for formal investigation.
City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the executive committee (exco) had taken the decision to act on the council resolution on the basis of advice from the city’s head of legal services, Malusi Mhlongo.
“The speaker will apply the appropriate code of conduct as prescribed and subsequently report the findings to exco,” Sisilana said.
“eThekwini municipality remains committed to clean governance, transparency, public safety and the responsible allocation of resources as it continues to serve residents and visitors alike.”
Nyawose said he had referred the matter to eThekwini’s City Integrity and Investigations Unit, which would now deal with the matter.
In the recording, Chetty told the councillors not to discuss the matter with “anybody outside of this”.
“I don’t trust anybody else with information like this because people can use it to fuck you up in another situation. Is there any backlash that we are going to have?” he asked.
The councillors denied collecting bribes, saying that they had only selected community liaison officers and had intervened when residents had demanded jobs and inclusion as sub-contractors.
Chetty told them that “if there was money” they should channel it to the party’s constituency office because “the party has a right to take donations”, rather than them taking money as individuals.
“Y’all need to get hold of [the contractor] and know exactly how much, [and] what’s happening. We need to nip this thing in the bud,” Chetty said.
“We need to tell him whatever monies he collected, he needs to declare — move it through the constituency. That’s the only way I can see,” he said.
Macpherson declined to comment, saying: “The eThekwini caucus leader will be best placed to comment regarding what the municipality does.”
DA caucus chairperson Thabani Mthethwa said they welcomed the decision and that the resolution had been backed by the party’s councillors who attended the meeting.
“The speaker is the right person to process this and as the DA we urge the speaker to move with speed to finalise this matter because DA councillors have nothing to hide,” he said.
“The DA caucus unanimously agreed and welcomed this move to give our colleagues a platform to clear their names against this orchestrated defamation.”