DA welcomes sentencing of corrupt former ANC Councillor
Monday 23 February 2015
The sentencing of former ANC ward councillor Thobile Gqola to 6 years in prison for corruption is a victory for clean government in the City of Cape Town and sends a clear message to other public officials who are abusing their positions that they will be caught, and they will be punished.
The sentencing of Mr Gqola follows charges laid against him by the DA back in April 2012. At the time, Mr Gqola was the ANC ward councillor for ward 35 in the City. Since then, there has been a lengthy investigation both by the Speaker's Office in the City, as well as by the SAPS. The City investigation led to Cllr Gqola's removal as a councillor, and the SAPS investigation has ultimately led to this prison sentence.
Residents of Cape Town are starting to see that this is what can be expected of ANC public representatives. That is why more residents in this city and province are voting DA for clean and corruption-free government.
Mr. Gqola offered residents in Crossroads the assurance of getting a state-subsidised house in exchange for R7 000 paid directly to him. He took multiple payments from residents in exchange for each of them receiving a house in the Philippi East Phase Five housing project.
State-subsidised houses do not belong to any political party, or to any councillor. They belong to the beneficiaries, the ordinary South Africans who have been waiting for them - sometimes for many years.
We can never successfully redress the inequalities in our society if our best efforts to deliver housing are destroyed by corrupt councillors and public officials. It only reverses redress, makes more people wait even longer for housing, and steals money from people who are already poor.
The DA will not allow greedy, corrupt councillors to abuse their positions for personal gain. Those who disrespect voters and abuse their power for their own enrichment must be removed from office and put in prison.
Statement issued by Xolile Gwangxu, DA Councillor, City of Cape Town, February 22 2015
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