Cape Town – The City has remained tight-lipped about reports that its officials face
disciplinary action over alleged irregularities relating to the grounded MyCiTi N2 Express.
“The City does not comment on ongoing disciplinary procedures against officials,” said City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo.
The Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) had called for the City to be transparent regarding some officials it alleged were implicated in fraud allegations in 2017.
Codeta’s lawyer, Barnabas Xulu, said:“It has come to our attention that certain officials in the city ‘s transport authority have been suspended in matters related to the N2 Express contract.
"Complaints with regard to the irregularities have been brought to the attention of the city since 2017, and the city failed to remedy the irregularities over a period of two years.
“Serious allegations have been made against certain parties and matters of fraud and corruption have been reported to the relevant law enforcement agencies”.
"Codeta had also lodged a fraud complaint with the Hawks against Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs).
“The allegations of misconduct are serious irregularities and governance problems under the N2 Express, chief among which is the dominance of Gabs and their monopoly over all
processes associated with the N2 Express,” said Xulu.
Gabs spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said the assertions were not only untrue, but “grossly slanderous”.
“Gabs takes great exception to Codeta’s recent media statements which allude vaguely to unspecified fraudulent activities, as well as complaints about alleged irregularities and governance issues within the N2 Express Joint Venture.
“We have answered definitively and repeatedly that these allegations and complaints have no basis whatsoever. We cannot allow our good name to be continually tarnished, and reserve all our rights in this regard.
“We have refrained from commenting on issues relating to the expiry of the contract in the hope that common sense would prevail and operations could continue.
“Unfortunately, Codeta is set, for their own selfish reasons, on undermining all attempts by the interested parties to resolve the impasse and resume services,” said Dyke-Beyer.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula weighed in on the matter yesterday, calling for the law to take its course regarding alleged MyCiTi N2 irregularities.
“We are still intervening in the MyCiTi N2 issues, the same way we are with Go George Bus Service.
“However, things are not moving at the pace they want them to. We are aware of all the issues and engaging with the partners, especially the taxi associations.”