Manager quits as DA spat rages
Achmat Ebrahim embroiled in allegations of corruption
DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela has stuck the knife deeper into mayor Patricia de Lille in his response to the resignation of long-serving Cape Town City manager Achmat Ebrahim. Madikizela said Ebrahim’s resignation was the right thing to do given the allegations against him, but said it is “surprising and regrettable that by his own admission Mr Ebrahim was directly requested by mayor Patricia de Lille not to disclose the fact that he had resigned on Friday.
“This means that a material fact relating to the City was deliberately withheld by mayor De Lille at the time that the DA Federal Executive was deliberating on her matter. This forced material omission does not reflect well on the mayor’s conduct and she should account for this – both to the DA and to the residents of the City.”
Ebrahim resigned last Friday, but this was only announced yesterday. In his resignation letter to De Lille, Ebrahim said the past number of months had been extremely difficult, taxing and rather stressful for all of them.
“It will of course be most unwise of me to say that I have not been personally and emotionally affected by what has been playing itself out in recent times,” Ebrahim said.
Recently, he became embroiled in allegations of covering-up corruption and maladministration and that he had accepted an order from De Lille to cover-up alleged wrongdoing by City transport commissioner Melissa Whitehead by not making the council aware of irregularities in payments Whitehead made regarding MyCiti buses and losses of about R33 million.
A second allegation from the Bowman Gilfillan report accuses Ebrahim of concealing alleged misconduct from Whitehead when she was a member of a committee that evaluated bids to redevelop Cape Town’s Foreshore precinct last year.
Ebrahim was allegedly prevented from reporting any misconduct to council by De Lille. The Bowman Gilfillan report recommended that both face disciplinary action.
Ebrahim said: “As far as the ongoing investigations are concerned, I have already handed all the evidence files as it pertains to my involvement in these investigations, to the investigating attorneys Bowman Gilfillan. I believe that an objective assessment of these files will also clearly show that the allegations against me are baseless.”
De Lille thanked Ebrahim for his service. “Ebrahim has an untarnished and remarkable track record of nearly 40 years as a public servant, most recently having served as the City manager for more than 12 years during the past three terms of office. He has an impeccable and proven track record and, for the period during which he had served as City manager, the City earned numerous achievements and accolades including unqualified and clean audits,” De Lille said.
Xolani Sotashe, ANC caucus leader, said Ebrahim’s resignation took him by surprise.
“He is a very good official and has a fantastic record. But he allowed himself to be used by these DA devils,” he said.
ACDP councillor Grant Haskin said Ebrahim has an impeccable record.
“His resignation comes at a time of great turmoil in the senior leadership of the City and while we are greatly concerned about the very serious allegations against him… we had hoped he would be able to ride out the storm, steady and focus the City’s leadership and emerge having successfully vindicated himself,” he said.
Lungelo Mbandazayo has been appointed as the acting City manager.