The Hawks are probing a senior Democratic Alliance councillor alleged to have taken kickbacks of R1.2-million. The Ekurhuleni councillor, Shadow Shabangu, is also facing a court case after a colleague accused him of sexual harassment.
His subsequent recent re-election by the party — which trumpets an anti-corruption and clean-governance stance — has riled DA members in Gauteng who say that federal chair Helen Zille has been covering for Shabangu, who is the caucus chair in the Ekurhuleni council.
Shabangu was re-elected to this position last month even though criminal charges had been laid against him — charges that are now being investigated by the Hawks.