Political parties in the City of Cape Town have dismissed Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’ explanation that there is no evidence to justify the removal of JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg from his mayoral committee.
This comes after he had a meeting with the SAPS on Wednesday requesting an update following a raid by the Hawks in the offices of Limberg and Smith last week.
The raid was part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of tender fraud in the construction sector.
Hill-Lewis said, “SAPS confirmed to me that the execution of a search warrant is in no way indicative of a crime, and I have not been provided with any substantive evidence of alleged wrong-doing by either of the Mayco members in question.”
Opposition parties including ANC, EFF, GOOD, National Coloured Congress (NCC), PA, UDM, Africa Restoration Alliance (ARA), PAC, rejected Hill-Lewis’ decision to protect Smith and Limberg.
They called out the DA to practice what they preach in terms of corruption. “There is objective evidence the pair are under investigation.
"Evidence was submitted to a judicial officer who felt compelled to issue a warrant for the raid.
“If the shoe was on the other foot, with a mere hint of corruption, with no raid or official charge, the DA is the first to call for removal. It is time they practiced what they preach,” the group said in a statement.
To voice their contempt for the DA’s inaction, the parties vowed to attend the first City council meeting in council chambers even if their DA counterparts would not.
“However, we will not be logging on to the online session which we believe is just a farce to protect Smith and Limberg from public scrutiny.
"Virtual meetings were born out of a Covid-19 necessity, the DA-led city is now hiding behind this option instead of facing the opposition, members of the media, and the public,” they said.
The parties called for Smith and Limberg to step down or be suspended pending the outcomes of the investigations.
“Their continued presence could impede the investigation or at least give the perception of being in a position to impede,” they added.
IOL Politics