BALDWIN NDABA

A Soweto councillor has been axed by the ANC for selling municipal land to a church – but only after two DA whistleblowers were disciplined by the council for speaking to the media about corruption.

The decision to fire Thabo Nkhasi, a Ward 28 Soweto councillor, was announced yesterday and has been endorsed by Gauteng Local Government and Housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi.

Nkhasi was found guilty in December last year of selling municipal land by using council letterheads.

The matter was exposed by DA councillors Tony Molefe and Tshepo Mhlongo in September. Molefe and Mhlongo claimed that Nkhasi was paid R15 000 after he sold municipal land to the Together As One Church of Christ in 2008.

The value of the land was not known, and the sale amount was not disclosed, but the payment was confirmed by the church’s Bishop Joseph Radebe.

The two DA councillors were hauled before the City of Joburg’s ethics committee and given stern warnings for talking to the media about the corruption. In December, the council decided to suspend Nkhasi and docked six months of his salary. The council also ordered Nkhasi to repay all the building costs the church had incurred.

Joburg ANC spokesman Jolidee Matongo said: “Following this decision, the City of Joburg forwarded its recommendation to the MEC for local government and housing for ratification.

“The MEC has arrived at the decision to remove Thabo Nkhasi as a ward councillor with immediate effect.”

Mmemezi controversially also endorsed the council’s decision to reprimand Molefe and Mhlongo for blowing the whistle on corruption.

Molefe and Mhlongo were in contempt of the council’s speaker, Constance Bapela, when they revealed Nkhasi’s shenanigans to the media.

Bapela is expected to issue a formal written warning to Mhlongo this week for allegedly “presenting a picture of a council that is unable to deal with issues”.

DA caucus leader Mmusi Maimane has welcomed the ANC’s decision.

He, however, disagreed with Mmemezi’s decision to endorse the reprimanding of Molefe and Mhlongo, saying such a verdict should be discussed in the council.

Nkhasi was not available for comment.