All eyes are trained on Jozi and the upcoming ANC Elective Conference taking place over the weekend, but things are heating up around these parts, too.

Late last night saw City of Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille suspended from party activities, pending the outcome of an investigation into “a series of reports and an affidavit containing allegations of maladministration in the city”.

That suspension stems from an investigation of the allegations by a subcommittee, which has just concluded.

Not a great look, right?

Anyway, before we get to that murder cover-up skulduggery, let’s get an update from News24:

One of the several issues the subcommittee looked into was De Lille’s shutting down of the city’s special investigations unit, which resulted in a spat between her and mayoral committee member for safety, security and social services JP Smith…

The unit also unearthed shocking claims that some city councillors may have been involved in a murder and that upgrades to De Lille’s home may not have been legal.

OK, sheesh, that escalated quickly.

Now we are used to tender irregularities and maladministration, but murder cover-ups is akin to something out of a bad movie.

From another News24 article a few months back, on the reason why the city’s special investigations unit was shut down:

[JP] Smith said he tried to find out if there was a reason given for wanting to shut down the unit.

He said his “first instincts” were that it could be due to claims by a councillor relating to an apparent police investigation into alleged dubious dealings with a company by city employees.

Smith said in the submission that it was also suggested to him that it may have to do with the murder of DA ward councillor Xolile Gwangxu, who was shot dead in Philippi East in June.

“According to SIU members… their investigation had turned up rumours of the possible involvement of councillors in the death of Cllr Gwangxu, but that nothing had been proven.”

Smith, in that same article, once again mentioned allegations of Patricia de Lille’s house being upgraded at the expense of council.

Also in hot water are the executive director of De Lille’s office Craig Kesson, city manager Achmat Ebrahim and Melissa Whitehead, the commissioner of the transport and urban development authority.

You might recognise Whitehead’s name from THIS story last month, which focused on the unfinished highways in the Foreshore area commonly referred to as ‘Solly’s Folly’.

Lots of mud-slinging:

In an affidavit, Kesson alleged that De Lille had planned to publicly discredit a senior city staffer who questioned alleged tender irregularities.

He also claimed De Lille had asked that a report into a possible R43m loss regarding another tender be made to “go away”.

De Lille hit back via a statement, saying that Kesson’s “false” disclosures could not be viewed as the actions of a whistleblower, but were instead a criminal offence.

Good work, guys – way to be ‘better together’.

Here’s DA spokesperson Phumzile van Damme:

[She] said the party remained committed to clean and efficient administration where it governs.

“That is why it is of paramount importance that we get to the bottom of these allegations and swift leadership changes be made should they be found to be true so that our commitment to deliver to the people of Cape Town is not derailed.

“We believe that this is the first step towards bringing new management to the City of Cape Town caucus that is stable, functional, and focused on delivering the highest quality of services to all of its residents.”

I know the bar has been set pretty low for governance here in South Africa, DA, but you might want to sort out this mess rather rapidly.

[sources:news24&news24]