Consultant may have to pay back project fee
THABO Mokwena, the consultant who in 2005 was paid R1 200 an hour by the City of Cape Town to work on a jewellery city project that never came to fruition, will know next month if he will have to pay back the money.
The city is claiming about R2.65 million from Mokwena for the money he earned while working as a specialist consultant for the former ANC-led administration.
Mayoral committee member for finance Ian Neilson confirmed that the matter against Mokwena, which was to have been heard on July 12, had been postponed until August 16 to allow him to finalise his application for rescission of judgment in the Western Cape High Court.
He said if Mokwena’s application failed, the court would conduct a Section 65 enquiry to recoup the debt. In 2012, the city obtained a default judgment against Mokwena.
Mokwena was awarded the contract to manage a jewellery city project in 2006, without it being put to open tender. It was one of several contracts handed to forensic investigators when the DA took over the city in 2006. It was found that Mokwena was overpaid by R6m.
Another matter flagged by the investigators is to be heard in court next month. The city hopes to recover about R3.64m from Full Swing Trading, which was appointed to manage “social facilitation” during the elections.
The legal teams for the defendants are expected in court on August 22 for a pre-trial conference.