DA candidate accused of being R600k in arrears
DA Central Karoo mayoral candidate Derick Welgemoed has come under fire for allegedly being in arrears of more than R600 000 with a municipal account.
Questions have also been raised after he attended a bid opening meeting for a tender, allegedly in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Welgemoed has however dismissed the claims, saying the municipal bill was under a trust related to a development that had been bankrupt for 15 years and not his personal account, and that the advertisement for the tender stated that anyone was welcome to attend.
At a press conference yesterday the ANC said it had received information that Welgemoed was being investigated by the Hawks.
“Those are complaints registered with the Hawks by the municipality and municipal manager.
“In addition to the investigation by the Hawks, we also have another situation involving the same councillor. Despite the code of conduct that does not allow a councillor to get involved in any supply chain, the said councillor was actively present at the process of opening bids of tender.
“In terms of the municipal bill, councillor Welgemoed didn't stop to make arrangements. Instead he wrote a threatening email,” ANC head of elections, Cameron Dugmore said.
Neither the Hawks or the municipality had responded to questions by deadline yesterday.
Last week the Provincial Treasury issued recommendations to the municipality, including that the “the accounting officer institute disciplinary action against Councillor Derrick Welgemoed as outlined in Schedule: Section 4 “Breaches of Code of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act”.
This as the Beaufort West Municipality requested guidance regarding the conduct of Welgemoed, who attended the bid opening with supply chain management officials.
“Section 117 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003, states no councillor of any municipality may be a member of a municipal bid committee or any other committee evaluating or approving tenders, quotations, contracts or bids, nor attend any such meeting as an observer. Additionally, interference in municipal procurement or supply chain management systems is also strongly rejected,” the document from Treasury stated.
Welgemoed dismissed the allegations.
“It's a matter of, can they read? (Regarding) the amount they are referring to (R600 000) the development went sour and it is under a trust, it is bankrupt. The trust which I was the director of has been dormant for 15 years, yet every election they come up with the same story. I've laid charges, three councillors were arrested. These people are trying to get even.” he said.
Regarding attending the bid meeting, Welgemoed said the ad clearly stated anyone was welcome.
Meanwhile Dugmore also alleged that despite complaints to Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, they got no response.
Spokesperson for Bredell, JamesBrent Styan, said he was awaiting the outcome of a municipal investigation on the matter.
“The minister (Bredell) has noted a resolution taken by the council to establish a special committee that would investigate and make findings on the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct by the councillor. The statutory legal duty in cases like these resides by law in the Speaker and/or the Municipal Council who are encouraged to follow the due procedures in terms of the code of conduct for councillors. The minister (Bredell) will await the outcome of the investigation and the council resolution pertaining to this matter,” he said.