My suspension is a political fight – Dagada
Mashaba ‘used dirty tricks to get me out’
Suspended Johannesburg member of the mayoral committee for finance Rabelani Dagada has accused mayor Herman Mashaba of using “dirty tricks” to remove him from his position.
Dagada labelled the mayor “a dictator that wants to be surrounded by yes people” in a tirade following Mashaba’s announcement yesterday of his suspension.
Mashaba said an investigation had found that Dagada had breached the city’s code of conduct by not declaring his interests, and that he had also attempted to unduly influence the awarding of tenders to benefit his associates.
Dagada, however, told Sowetan: “My removal is a political fight which has nothing to do with the city’s administration”.
He added: “This is meant to just remove me from the may- oral committee, destroy my political career and my professional career due to how damning these allegations are.”
Mashaba said: “It’s understood from the investigation that Dagada has acted in a manner which sought, either directly or indirectly, to benefit service providers and officials closely associated with him.”
“While disciplinary processes are under way, I will be laying a complaint with the ethics committee of the council and criminal charges councillor Dagada.”
Dagada said Mashaba had tried at least five times previously to remove him from the mayoral committee.
“Mashaba is a dictator who does not allow for debate in the mayoral committee. I was the only one who could say ‘no’ to him and now he removes me because I am not a yes man,” said Dagada.
Johannesburg ANC spokesman Jolidee Matongo said Dagada’s removal was a “feeble and desperate attempt” by the mayor trying to portray himself as a saviour and to sidetrack from the issues of mismanagement of the city’s finances under his watch. against
Durant’s lawyer Advocate Deon Pool told the court that his client, who is a former police officer, was doing his job when he shot Mutavhatsindi.
“He is a simple man who was doing a simple job that had unfortunate circumstances,” Pool said.
He said there was no evidence that his client would evade trial or interfere with witnesses.
State prosecutor Rungulani Mhlongo, however, said Durant’s life would be in danger should he be released on bail.
“He needs to be protected from the community [because] he could be attacked,” he said.
Khan said Mutavhatsindi took the tractor without permission and by doing that he was entitled to be arrested.
He said Durant tried to stop Mutavhatsindi who was driving to his neighbourhood of Matselapata but he did not stop.
“Because the victim did not stop he called the owner and asked if he could shoot the tyres, he said yes and he did but the tractor did not stop. At some stage the accused made a decision to shoot him,” he said.
Durant was granted R10 000 bail.