Lost gold chain ‘borrowed’

The mystery behind the missing mayoral chain in the Sedibeng district municipality has taken a twist – with new information emerging it had been borrowed from Emfuleni municipality.

According to Democratic Alliance (DA) MPL, Kingsol Chabalala, the chain was borrowed because several chains belonging to Sedibeng had allegedly disappeared in the past.

The chain, which went missing last year after the State of the District Address (Soda), is believed to be worth more than R400 000. “As the DA, we have learnt that Sedibeng doesn’t have a mayoral chain because they lost their chains. That’s why the mayor has to borrow a chain each time she makes a public appearance,” he said.

Chabalala said the DA would hold Emfuleni accountable for the missing chain. “How do they keep quiet when something that expensive is lost in the hands of another municipality?” he asked.

Attempts to get comment from the two municipalities were not successful at the time of going to press.

According to a police statement made by one of the officials who works in the mayor’s office, the chain was placed in a safe after last year’s Soda. The statement says it was only a few months later that the officials realised it was gone.

Chabalala said he thinks mayoral chains from different municipalities were being stolen and sold. “These are very expensive pieces of jewellery, and this is not the only municipality that has reported that their mayoral chains have been stolen,” he said.

Chabalala appealed to Gauteng corporative governance and traditional affairs MEC Mzi Khumalo to investigate the theft of mayoral chains.