Durban - Three ANC councillors from the eThekwini Municipality appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday following their arrest on Wednesday morning on fraud and corruption charges.
They were arrested by members of the National Clean Audit Task Team.
Mthokozisi Nojiyesa, Bhekokwakhe Welcome Phewa and Sduduzo Khuzwayo were all granted bail of R15 000 each and are expected to return to court next Wednesday where they will be joining the other accused.
They join a string of other officials and councillors from the eThekwini Municipality that have been arrested in connection with corruption.
Among those who have appeared in court accused of the fraud that was previously estimated at R400 million are former mayor Zandile Gumede and municipal manager Sipho Nzuza.
“The suspects are alleged to have been part of the investigation by National Clean Audit Task Team into fraud and corruption within the eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender and are facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering,” said Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
DA councillor Nicole Graham said the party welcomed the arrest.
“When Gumede was first arrested, court documents referenced that 61 councillors were allegedly involved in the scheme to defraud DSW. Four more ANC councillors were arrested in December of 2019. One has since passed away. This means 54 unnamed Councillors are still untouched.
“The ANC has stubbornly refused – both in council and internally – to investigate the hugely serious claim that over half of it's councillors in eThekwini were seemingly breaking the law. Formal requests to the speaker to initiate an investigation fell on deaf ears, but the Hawks have apparently not given up,” said Graham.
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said these arrests were a drop in the ocean as “initial reports stated that there were about 62 councillors that had been implicated”.
“’We want all those councillors to be brought to account,” he said.
Nkosi said this matter should come before the courts so all the wrongdoing could be fully exposed.
“The government needs to take a harsher step against councillors guilty of stealing public funds. We blacklist the companies that do this, the same should be done to councillors so they are never able to hold any public office.”
The Mercury