Crash claim resurfaces as speaker takes office

KIMBERLEY’s Sol Plaatje local municipality has appointed an ANC leader as its council speaker despite his racking up a R100 000 bill in damages to a BMW 3 Series rented for official business.

Mangaliso Matika, a former ANC youth chairman in Kimberley’s Frances Baard region, was this week appointed as the new speaker of the Sol Plaatje local municipality amid allegations that he lent a BMW 3 Series, rented by the council, to a friend in 2012. The friend allegedly crashed it, which led to a R104 000 bill in damages that remains unpaid.

The car was hired for Matika to attend workshops on the installation of solar panels that were held by Northern Cape municipalities.

Matika conceded on Friday that he had crashed the rented BMW, but denied that he had lent the car to a friend.

He claimed that his “detractors” were trying to discredit him following his appointment. “I was involved in an accident. I was driving the car,” said Matika. “I am just disappointed this is being raised now. I see a campaign to assassinate my character.”

Whistle-blowers in the municipality have cried foul about the matter, claiming that Matika, who until now was the mayoral committee member for roads and storm water, was not suitable for the position, which will see him presiding over sittings of the council.

But the city council has rejected this, saying Matika’s appointment was not against the law.

Those aggrieved by the matter claim that Matika has been appointed as part of a purge of Northern Cape youth league leaders who campaigned against President Jacob Zuma in 2012.

Matika, who broke ranks with the youth league at the time and campaigned for Zuma, is said to be close to ANC provincial secretary Zamani Soul.

Matika said he and the municipality had agreed to settle the R100 000 bill with the travel agency.

Municipality spokesman Sello Matsie said the delay had been caused by disputes over insurance cover for the car.

“The tussle was more about the in-

I was driving the car . . . I see a campaign to assassinate my character

surance cover in terms of settling the claim. There’s agreement that was entered into between ourselves and Astra Travel with regard to that.

“No further information can be shared with regard to that . . . There was a misunderstanding between Astra Travel and ourselves, but that has been ironed out,” said Matsie.

He also defended Matika’s appointment: “You can be prevented in law from accessing this position when you have a criminal record, but it has not reached such [a point].”

He said a full sitting of council was still to decide whether Matika was guilty of unethical conduct.