Cape Town - Local government MEC Anton Bredell is being sued by the Bitou Municipality for refusing to suspend former mayor Peter Lobese following adverse allegations and findings against him in a forensic report served on the council in February 2020.
The municipality’s attorney Stefan Hill said Bredell is accused of advancing a “political agenda” to place Bitou under administration.
“Multiple serious adverse allegations and findings have been made against Lobese, and our case is that the MEC was authorised to suspend him under the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
“Based on the information before the MEC, he ought to have exercised his discretion to suspend Lobese. Instead, he declined to do so for party political purposes.”
Provincial department of local government spokesperson Rowena Van Wyk said: “In terms of the Municipal Systems Act, the municipal council is responsible for disciplinary proceedings against a councillor accused of contravening the Code of Conduct.
“The MEC’s role in the suspension of a councillor is triggered once the municipality has completed such disciplinary proceedings,” said Van Wyk.
Leader of the provincial opposition Cameron Dugmore (ANC) said: “The DA and Bredell stand naked and exposed once again.
“They talk about anti-corruption, but don’t walk the talk. The section 106 investigation, commissioned by Bredell himself, contains damning evidence against former mayor Lobese. Yet, now that Lobese wants to switch sides to the DA, Bredell refuses to act.
“There are countless other examples pointing to Bredell’s bias. We once again ask Premier Winde to remove him. He is the cause of much instability in local government in our province,” said Dugmore.
The DA and the ANC each hold six seats on the council, and Lobese, representing the Active United Front, AUF, has regularly switched between coalitions with both big parties since 2016.
In April, the ANC and the DA agreed to work together to oust Lobese from the mayor’s post through a no-confidence motion.
The cooperation was short-lived, and in May, the DA teamed up with Lobese in a disputed election where the DA’s Bill Nel became mayor and Lobese speaker.
In June, the High Court scrapped that election and an election ordered for July 9 has still not been held.