Cape Town - The cases of Ward 23 councillor Nora Grose and South African Religious Civic Organisation chairperson Reuben Swartz was postponed to September 29 for the duo to make representations.
They appeared separately at the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court on Monday on charges of fraud and money laundering.
Swartz appeared alone on two other cases of fraud and corruption. He was arrest by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team in December last year for fraudulently claiming money from Employee Temporary Relief Programme (TERS) UIF valued at R297 800 and used it for personal gain.
The Hawks investigations further revealed that Swartz received up to R170 000 from the City’s humanitarian fund, which was meant to provide food parcels in Atlantis but instead the money was allegedly channelled to a church in Table View with ties to Grose.
The two are currently out on bail of R10 000 each.
Grose recently stepped aside from her party duties, however would continue with her duties as ward councillor and Sub-Council 1 chairperson.
Good Party general secretary Brett Herron said it was unlawful for councillors to identify service providers and to direct them in this manner.
Swartz, who said he had lost his dignity, income and credibility, said he wanted to clear his name.
“There are some issues that my lawyer and the NPA need to sort out between them as the NPA has put an offer on the table that my lawyer didn’t agree with. I believe the NPA is not following all the leads because in the TERS case against me there is no mention of the accountant that started this TERS application and the case is now a year old and they never pursued this accountant.
“This money laundering case is bigger than meets the eye and warrants a City Council investigation. When the money of the ward allocations was signed off there was a sub council manager that had to approve this and no one talked about that, but it’s only Grose taking the fall for that,” he said.
Grose’s lawyer, Darren Hanekom, clarified that her case was not linked to that of Swartz.