Johannesburg - Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said on Monday that he would bring criminal charges against the axed member of mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Rabelani Dagada, after he was found guilty of price fixing and breaching the City's code of conduct.
Mashaba on Monday fired Dagada after a forensic investigation found him in breach of the City's code of conduct by not declaring his interests and subsequently, conflicts of interest with individuals closely associated with him.
"Further to this, the forensic investigation has found Dagada to have been involved in price fixing with a service provider to the City, and in the process [to have] acted against his sworn duty to our residents," Mashaba said.
"It is understood from the investigation that Dagada has acted in a manner which has sought, either directly or indirectly, to benefit service providers and officials closely associated with him. In this process a series of events have transpired that, in my view, could not have taken place coincidentally to the exclusive benefit of these associates."
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Dagada was last year implicated in a "jobs-for-pals" scandal in which he was alleged to have enriched his friend by facilitating access to lucrative tenders. According to reports, a service provider received a two-month contract of over R190 000, allegedly due to his long-standing relationship with Dagada.
He has also been suspended as a councillor by the Federal Executive of the Democratic Alliance (DA) pending an enquiry of the DA's federal legal commission.
Mashaba said that Dagada unduly influenced and unfairly treated some officials who resisted pressure to authorise procurement deals to the benefit of his associates.
He said that the City has initiated disciplinary action against the implicated officials, who would now face disciplinary inquiries for their role in the breaches of legislation and governance procedures.
"I am proud to say that these officials stood firm in their convictions and refused to do what they knew was wrong," Mashaba said.
"Whilst these actions are taken with regret, the commitment of the multi-party coalition government to rid the City of wrongdoers will not include protecting our own. Whilst the disciplinary processes are underway, I will be laying a complaint with the ethics committee of the Council and criminal charges against Dagada."