SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
The Matzikama Municipality has dismissed claims that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) swooped on its municipal offices, attaching documents and laptops this week.
This follows claims that the laptops of certain councillors and administrative staff were collected by the SIU as part of their investigation into the municipality.
In a post on social media on Wednesday, the municipality said the claims were false.
“Matzikama Municipality would like to respond to the rumours that are currently doing the rounds that the SIU/Hawks are at the municipal offices and have taken computers from councillors and officials. These rumours are untrue,” it said.
It said, however, that there was an investigation in progress by the office of the Local Government MEC Anton Bredell. This investigation was part of his overview role and was supported by the municipality.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “The SIU has seconded members to an investigation conducted by the Western Cape government after signing a secondment agreement.”
Bredell’s spokesperson Wouter Kriel said they were aware of the SIU investigation, but that it was not initiated by the Western Cape government.
The ANC’s Johan Muller said the party welcomed the intervention in the municipality.
“The ANC caucus in Matzikama would like to applaud MEC Bredell for his intervention in the Matzikama Municipality. The municipality is constantly plagued with poor service delivery issues. Vredendal North residents are living in constant fear of water cuts that can last for weeks on end, as happened in the recent past. Rubbish heaps are on most street corners and road infrastructure is not getting any maintenance in non-white neighbourhoods.
“On top of all these service delivery challenges, we have selfish councillors who are only looking out for their own, with blatant interference in the administration.
“Staff feel intimidated and make affidavits... Therefore the intervention by Bredell is in the face of overwhelming evidence of maladministration by his DA.
“We can confirm that laptops of certain councillors and administrative staff were collected.”
Cape Times