DA acts against council member

The DA’s federal executive committee has resolved that Joburg’s former mayoral committee member for economic development be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.

The DA’s federal executive committee has suspended councillor Sharon Peetz, the City of Johannesburg’s fired member of the mayoral committee for economic development, from party activities pending the outcome of an investigation by the metro’s ethics committee.

Mayor Herman Mashaba fired Peetz from his mayoral council after she allegedly falsified evidence that she gave to the metro in an investigation that initially cleared her.

Mashaba announced late last week that he had removed her from his executive team, following a meeting with the DA’s federal executive.

A notice of suspension would be sent to Peetz on Thursday, James Selfe, chairman of the party’s federal executive, said on Wednesday.

DA policy states that the party should hold back on any internal investigation of its own if an organ of government is conducting an investigation into a matter, until such an investigation is concluded.

The federal executive was awaiting the outcome of an ethics inquiry by the City of Johannesburg, Selfe said.

Peetz was cleared earlier in 2017 after being accused of acting irregularly when she arranged to take a relative to Spain on an official trip.

A forensic investigation concluded that the city did not pay for the trip.

But Mashaba said in the statement in which he announced he had removed her from his mayoral committee that “recent evidence has been brought to our attention that the proof of payment, between ... Peetz and the travel agent, which the councillor had provided to my office as proof that she had paid the travel agent, was allegedly falsified”.

Mashaba has appointed councillor Leah Knott as a member of the mayoral committee for economic development in the metro.

Knott, according to a statement released by the mayor’s office, has a legal qualification and had gathered experience in the property development planning industry prior to becoming a councillor.

The Johannesburg metro’s department of economic development is responsible for driving the implementation of the city’s strategy to create jobs and economic growth.

“The key deliverables of this strategy will be the achievement of investment and job creation,” Mashaba said.

“I am confident that member of the mayoral committee Knott will play an invaluable role in this regard.”

Khume Ramulifho, the DA’s Johannesburg regional chairman, said the party would ensure that all due process was followed and that Peetz was afforded an opportunity to state her case.

Peetz could not be reached for comment.