Cops probe fraud case over Madikizela’s degree saga

Good Party secretary general Brett Herron lodges a criminal complaint against suspended Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela at the Cape Town police station.

Good Party secretary general Brett Herron lodges a criminal complaint against suspended Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela at the Cape Town police station.

Published Apr 16, 2021

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CAPE Town police have confirmed they have opened a fraud case after the Good Party lodged a complaint against suspended Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela.

The DA said Madikizela voluntarily stepped aside from his role as the Provincial Leader for two weeks. Albert Fritz will be the acting leader during this period.

The party’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) will discuss the matter on Monday.

He has been under fire since it emerged that he allegedly lied about having a degree in his CV.

In a separate matter, the Office of the Public Protector found Madikizela guilty of lying to the provincial legislature and instructed Western Cape Premier Alan Winde to act against him for breaching the executive ethics code.

Good Party secretary general Brett Herron said yesterday they lodged the complaint against Madikizela for “lying in his CV”. while Winde “sought to manage the situation by placing his MEC under suspension”.

Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said: “The case number quoted by you was registered for a fraud case reported to Cape Town police station. The circumstances surrounding the case are being investigated. The identities of the parties concerned cannot be disclosed.”

In suspending Madikizela, Winde said that he was “deeply” concerned that the MEC’s biography contained information which by his admission was not true.

“I have since carefully considered the matter and have taken the decision to suspend Minister Madikizela effective immediately for a period of 14 days, while an investigation determines all the facts.

“Once I have all the facts, I will make a final decision regarding Minister Madikizela and his role in my cabinet,” said Winde.

Human Settlements MEC Tertius Simmers has since been appointed to stand in for him.

Madikizela has occupied senior positions in the provincial cabinet including under former premier Helen Zille.

His problems only began this week after announcing that he would contest the mayoral position in the DA.

Other candidates include current mayor, Dan Plato, and MP Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Madikizela had previously told the Cape Times that he would share his side of the story in due course.

Political analyst Keith Gottschalk said it’s normal in politics that a scandal or smear will surface when you’re “neck and neck” in competition with a rival, referring to the mayorship contest in the metro.

“The most important aspect of Madikizela’s suspension in a political context is that the highest-ranking African leader left in the DA in the province has been rocked out of his political career.

“The DA will be under pressure to find other African leaders who can rise in their leadership structure,” Gottschalk said.

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