Cape Town – The Cape Coloured Congress has reportedly slammed the Democratic Alliance (DA) after Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis fired the mayoral committee (Mayco) member for human settlements, Malusi Booi.
Booi was dismissed after he was suspended last week following allegations of fraud and corruption.
His suspension came following a search and seizure operation at City of Cape Town offices by the police.
Hill-Lewis said that he had removed Booi from the Mayoral Committee with immediate effect.
“This removal from Mayco follows an updated briefing from the South African Police Services (SAPS) regarding progress on their investigation into alleged fraud and corruption,” Hill-Lewis said.
But, according to EWN, the Cape Coloured Congress has accused the DA of using Booi as a scapegoat to cover up its corruption in the city.
Cape Coloured Congress councillor Fadiel Adams said this was all a “big cover-up” by the DA-led municipality.
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“Malusi Booi doesn’t give instructions. He’s just a political appointment. He’s just there for oversight. Who signs the tenders? Who cancels the tenders? Who diverted the money? Who gives the companies the right to appeal? Those are the questions that must be asked.
“This is a big cover-up. We have found the place where the DA washes its money. This is their laundromat. this is what we know. Malusi Booi will be required to be the face of this corruption, but we know it’s much bigger,” the report quoted Adams as saying.
The report said it’s understood the investigations related to multi-million rand housing tenders in Cape Town.
The DA is considering suspending him from all party activities, said the report.
The DA, however, defended its decision to remove Booi from the City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee, despite opposition parties labelling it as double standards, News24 reported.
Opposition parties said Booi’s removal was unfair, considering no action has been taken against Nora Grose, who faces charges related to the misappropriation of funds, and is out on R10 000 bail, the report said.
“In that way, she and Malusi are now treated exactly the same. From the party’s political side, she voluntarily stepped back from all party-related activities, which was accepted by the party,” the report quoted DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers as saying.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
