Housing Corruption: Cape Town ANC councillor should resign
The Democratic Alliance is pleased with the outcome of a disciplinary inquiry in the City of Cape Town which has recommended that ANC councillor Thobile Gqola be fired as a councillor.
The final decision on his removal lies with the MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, but we hope that Councillor Gqola will do the right thing and resign his seat. We will also write to MEC Bredell today urging him to decide on this matter as soon as possible. There are also several criminal charges against Cllr. Gqola which are being investigated by the SAPS.
In April 2012 the DA submitted a formal complaint of corruption to the Speaker of the City of Cape Town against ANC ward councillor Thobile Gqola, councillor for ward 35. Since then, there has been a lengthy and comprehensive investigation by the Council's Disciplinary Committee, and last week a meeting of the full council voted to remove Cllr. Gqola from office.
The DA submitted evidence to the Disciplinary Committee which showed that Cllr. Gqola had contravened the Councillors' Code of Conduct by using his position for personal benefit.
Cllr. Gqola offered residents in Crossroads the assurance of getting a state-subsidised house in exchange for R7 000 paid directly to him. He allegedly 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.
Statement issued by Xolile Gwangxu, PR Councillor for the DA in Ward 35 and Chairperson of the Greater Philippi Constituency, April 3 2013
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