Cape Town - Newly appointed City councillor Carl Pophaim, at 20 years old, became the youngest councillor on Wednesday, but as soon as he took an oath, his chequered past in trying to cheat his matric exams surfaced yet again.
Pophaim is the provincial leader of the DA Youth and was appointed as councillor earlier in the week along with Bernadette Clarke, Christopher Fry, Ebrahim Sawant and Yangama Plaatjie.
Rumours of Pophaim’s challenges were exposed on social media by former council chief whip Shaun August who also resigned.
“Let’s not forget Carl Pophaim, new City of Cape Town councillor, was fired from being junior mayor of Cape Town due to alleged irregularities with matric mock exams. He reportedly tried to steal exam papers from a teacher’s laptop. Also note, Grant Twigg was in charge of junior city council at the time. Speaker Dirk Smith was aware of this... let’s talk about it,” August posted on Facebook.
Pophaim responded by saying he resigned as junior mayor because of his judgment error.
“The allegation by Mr August is petty, malicious and shows people more about himself than me. As young people we face the most extreme situations at home, school and in communities. Young people should be supported through this and not demonised or criminalised. I wish Mr August well and pray that his family and children, as old as me, do not receive the same actions he is displaying,” Pophaim said.
Asked for comment, DA Metro chairperson Twigg said the serious allegations should be put on record.
“Mr August should really come and put these allegations on paper because they are very serious. I know of some of the happenings, but if Mr August, who is now not part of the DA no more, feels he wants to talk to us, he should really put it on paper,” Twigg said.
DA Women’s Network leader Nomafrench Mbombo posted on Facebook: “Carl is currently 20 years old, and just got an opportunity of leadership to advance youth causes, among others in the province. You should know better, as a leader who is supposed to build youth from Cape Flats. Attack Twigg and leave the child out of it.”
@JasonFelix