Cape Town - Local Government MEC Anton Bredell has called for written representations into allegations that Kannaland Municipality Speaker Rodge Albertus interfered in the recruitment process of his wife in the municipality.
Kannaland Independent Party (KIP) secretary-general Gersdwin Breda also accused Albertus of deception.
Albertus is the KIP’s former president. His wife is employed in the municipality as his personal assistant.
“Albertus has refused to honour the KIP decisions in council meetings on three successive occasions, and has refused, noisily and in public, to submit to the instructions and directions of the entire Regional General Council (RGC) present. Had the RGC any expectation of integrity on the part of Albertus, an expectation mocked by his defiance and contumacy, the RGC would have asked Albertus to resign. Albertus has become the councillor KIP had been founded to eliminate from office. Albertus no longer represents KIP in the Kannaland Council. The RGC will deal with Albertus soon, responsibly, and fairly by ethical principles clearly foreign to him,” Breda said.
Albertus did not respond to the Cape Times’ questions.
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) provincial leader Dawid Kamfer said the current council was the reason for the “rot” in Kannaland.
“They are part of the mess in Kannaland. After the elections nothing happened in the town, only inner fights, and we trust it will came to an end because the people deserve better,” he said.
In a letter to the municipality recently, Bredell called for the Kannaland council to provide written representation on any allegations that are being considered for a possible provincial investigation. These include allegations against Albertus.
‘It is alleged that the wife of councillor Rodge Albertus was irregularly appointed at the municipality. Furthermore, it is alleged that councillor Albertus interfered in the said recruitment and selection process in order to ensure the appointment of his wife at the municipality.
“Once I receive the written representation from the municipality regarding the various allegations, a pre-investigation assessment will be conducted to determine whether a provincial investigation, in terms of section 106 of the Systems Act, will be necessary,” Bredell said.
Cape Times