Cape Town - Disgraced DA member and former councillor Wilma Brady has been convicted on charges of fraud and being in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
She had entered into a R3 million contract with a building developer for the construction of low-cost houses in Blue Downs. According to her charge sheet, while Brady was a ward councillor and chairperson of the Oostenberg sub-council of the City in 2006, she set out with intent to defraud, among others, developer company Lelethu and/or the MEC for local government and housing, by misrepresenting that she was authorised by the provincial housing department to conclude contracts with developers.
Between October and December 2006, the charge sheet reads that she unlawfully entered into a contract with Lelethu, which purported to bind the housing department financially to the value of R3m for the development and construction of the low-cost houses. The State argued that Brady acted contrary to the tendering process when she entered into the agreement.
“She is the one who informed the beneficiaries that Lelethu would build houses for them,” the State’s heads of argument read.
The State called a number of witnesses, including Lelethu member Faizel Davids. “The accused tried to mislead the court by stating that one afternoon she came home to find Davids had people in her home who were busy with bond applications. This was done ‘without her knowledge’,” the State said.
“She stated that her home had become Davids’ place of work. However, it is highly improbable that she would have allowed this process to take place in her home if she was not involved in it.”
DA provincial spokesperson Odette Cason said they would study the judgment and make a decision regarding her party membership. “Wilma Brady is no longer a DA councillor. She is still a member of the party,” Cason said. Brady is expected to be sentenced next month.