Cape Town - The City of Cape Town is set to have a special council meeting to discuss several cases of corruption behind closed doors on Tuesday.
This is in direct contravention of the standing rules and orders for all council meetings, as the public will not be allowed to attend.
Council Speaker Dirk Smit confirmed to the Cape Argus that the meeting will go ahead on Tuesday.
“The executive mayor (Patricia de Lille) requested the Speaker to call a special, confidential Council meeting on Tuesday in terms of the disciplinary regulations related to senior managers,” Smit said.
Asked why the meeting will be closed to the public, Smit said: “Because it is confidential.”
In a meeting of the transport and urban development committee last week, the opposition ANC alleged that Melissa Whitehead, executive director for transport, was guilty of nepotism for hiring two friends.
It further alleged that Whitehead was involved in unfairly advantaging a Chinese company, BYD, to secure a R249-million tender to manufacture 11 electric buses.
Sources within the DA said there are three cases where senior officials were involved with mismanagement and corruption in the City. One of these cases has to do with the Foreshore Freeway Project.