• SARS search puts Tshwane CFO back under scrutiny.
• DA says coalition shielded Mnisi from accountability.
• Residents can vote for accountable government on 4 November.
The ANC-ActionSA-EFF coalition in Tshwane has shown that it is more interested in protecting senior officials from accountability than rooting out corruption and misconduct.
This morning, SARS officials arrived at Tshwane House with a search warrant, and the City’s Chief Financial Officer, Gareth Mnisi, left the building accompanied by them.
This is the same CFO whom the ANC, EFF and ActionSA went to extraordinary lengths to protect from serious disciplinary consequences just months ago.
In July, the DA warned that the Tshwane coalition of corruption were attempting to protect Mnisi from accountability over serious allegations of misconduct.
Despite evidence presented before the Madlanga Commission and findings from a forensic investigation, the ANC and EFF supported a Council decision to classify the allegations against Mnisi as “less serious”.
The Speaker then manipulated the outcome of the Council vote by deducting 13 votes, overturning a majority decision that the allegations should be treated as serious misconduct.
The result was a final written warning and Mnisi’s return to his position as the City’s Chief Financial Officer.
We challenged this decision in court because we believed that serious allegations of misconduct could not simply be swept under the carpet.
Today’s events vindicate our warnings about the seriousness of the concerns surrounding Mnisi. Mayor Nasiphi Moya must explain why her administration allowed Mnisi to return to work with nothing more than a written warning, despite the serious concerns raised about his conduct.
The people of Tshwane deserve a government that holds officials accountable, not one that protects them from scrutiny.
If elected to govern, we will hold municipal employees personally accountable for corruption and mismanagement. We will strictly enforce a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and mismanagement. Poor audit findings will no longer be ignored; they will carry consequences for the individuals concerned.
We will restore confidence in Tshwane to create a stable municipality that attracts investment and creates jobs.
We will not allow serious allegations of misconduct to be buried to protect politically connected officials.