North West - DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko has vowed to rope in Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to probe “rampant corruption” in the Madibeng local municipality.
Mazibuko made the pledge after she visited the families of the victims of the Mothutlung police killings at their homes on Monday. She was accompanied by her party’s provincial leaders and the DA’s caucus leader in the Madibeng municipality, Leon Basson.
Osia Nkalane Rahube, Lerato Seema and Mike Tshele – killed last week during service delivery protests over a lack of water in the area – were buried at the weekend.
Mazibuko also visited the wife of the fourth man to die, Enoch Seimela, who succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night. Seimela was in a coma after he sustained a head wound last Monday.
Mazibuko told the families their loved ones were killed by police officers who were protecting corrupt ANC officials.
The families were also informed that ANC councillors were refusing to make public a report that former minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs Richard Baloyi had commissioned on Madibeng. The report had uncovered a series of corrupt acts, implicating various councillors and officials.
Baloyi was removed in July “under questionable circumstances”, according to the DA.
The party said Baloyi’s removal had made it easier for the ANC to sweep the contents of his task team report under the carpet.
Basson told the families his party had tried in vain since February last year to have the report tabled at council meetings. ANC officials had resisted this.
Basson also said his party had submitted questions to the council in August over the award of the contract to deliver water to residents, but the council did not respond.
“We sent additional questions in November asking who got the tender and what were the criteria used to allocate such tenders. They have refused to answer both questions,” Basson said.
Mazibuko said she would personally ask Madonsela to probe the municipality and force it to make the Baloyi report public.
The families appealed to Mazibuko to ensure that justice was done to enable them to heal.
An aggrieved family member, Jaconia Rahube, demanded answers about the death of his brother.
Meanwhile, North West Premier Thandi Modise said the fourth victim’s death reopened fresh wounds. She called on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to expedite its investigation.
The Star