De Lille faces criminal investigation

Forensic report by Bowman Gilfillian recommends the mayor and others be charged

MAYOR Patricia de Lille will be subjected to a criminal investigation along with other senior officials.

The City Council has adopted a forensic report into corruption and maladministration at the City of Cape Town.

The report by Bowman Gilfillian has recommended that De Lille, mayoral committee member for transport, Brett Herron, former municipal manager Achmat Ebrahim and former executive director Melissa Whitehead be criminally be charged.

Bowman Gilfillian probed allegations that Ebrahim had been prevented by De Lille on reporting to council allegations of improper conduct by suspended transport commissioner Whitehead.

DA metro chairperson and councillor Grant Twigg said council adopted the documents and that disciplinary and criminal investigations be instituted against the others.

Earlier this year, allegations that Ebrahim had been prevented by De Lille from reporting irregular expenditure of R43 million caused by Whitehead for the payment to Volvo for 29 bus chassis were also investigated.

A further R29m paid to Scania for 24 bus chassis was under investigation, which De Lille instructed Ebrahim to stop. De Lille’s alleged failure to report these matters to council were also under investigation.

Bowman Gilfillian found that De Lille prevented Ebrahim from reporting the matter. Disciplinary procedures are also mooted against Herron and Whitehead for their alleged misconduct in the tender process.

Chinese bus company BYD was awarded a R286m contract in August 2016 for the delivery of electric buses, of which R128m has been spent on 11 buses that were since assembled but cannot be delivered until the investigation of the tender is complete.

“Even if it means that we have to sit in the opposition benches, we will not stand for corruption. We will root it out where it shows its head,” Twigg said.

De Lille said in respect of the Bowman Gilfillian investigation, she committed to give her full co-operation.

“I have done so whenever it was my turn to submit responses. I have also raised my concerns about factual errors in a previous Bowmans report tabled in this Council in January this year,” she said.

“I have been fighting corruption for many years and I will not allow my good name to be smeared. I will fight for my rights and I will continue doing so to clear my name..”