Councillor accused of cheating bereaved

A BUFFALO City Metro ANC ward councillor is being investigated for pocketing a R5 000 municipal donation meant to help a grieving family in her ward.

It is alleged that ward 10 councillor Roseline Vitbooi approached a family that was assisted with a R10 000 donation to bury three family members who died in a fire last month, and told them they were only entitled to receive R5 000.

She allegedly told the family they should hand over the other half to her as it was meant to help a nearby family which also had a bereavement.

However, it is alleged she took the money for herself.

As a result, the matter is being investigated by the ANC in the municipality and the Hawks.

This was confirmed yesterday by BCM mayor Xola Pakati, who revealed he was visited by police probing the matter last week.

Pakati said he first heard about the matter when the Hawks visited his office and he had since given them a statement telling them that Vitbooi had no right to pocket half the money.

Pakati said Vitbooi had approached him and told him about the plight of the family.

“I told her that such a family needed to write to my office themselves if they needed assistance.

“They eventually did write and after we checked all merits and documents, we decided to deposit R10 000 to their bank account for funeral preparations.

“We only heard from police that she in fact went to that family and demanded they hand over half of that money to her,” Pakati said.

After giving his statement to police, he reported the matter to the ANC and council chief whip Mzwandile Vaaibom, who confirmed receiving the report.

“After the mayor made us aware of this, we summoned her to a meeting, which will sit on Monday, for her to give us her side of the story.

“After that meeting, we will then write and inform her organisation, the ANC, for them to guide us as to how we can deal with [this] matter,” he said.

Vitbooi said yesterday: “When I went to give the money to the second family, four family members were indecisive as to who I should give it to, hence I decided to keep it until they made a decision.”

Vitbooi said she passed the money on to the second family earlier this week. —