Dear Editor
Among the most nauseating symbols of South Africa’s political decay is when people in leadership positions are forced, or feel the necessity, to brazenly lie and defend the indefensible – and the unlawful.
The high point of this dark art in recent times was then-police minister Nathi Nhleko treating media to a demonstration of the famed Nkandla swimming pool in 2015 – insisting it was, in fact, not for swimming but for fighting fires.
Cape Town City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo is not a politician. He is the City’s chief accounting officer. It is on him, not politicians, that ratepayers ultimately depend to spend their money wisely.
As a lawyer at the helm of a DA-led administration, one would expect Mbandazayo to be conversant with the Constitutional Court’s recent judgement, in a case brought by the DA, that the State should not pay the legal costs of a politician accused of acting unlawfully outside his or her official mandate.
One would expect Mbandazayo to appreciate the conflict in the city’s insistence that it is supporting its fraud and money-laundering accused councillor, Nora Grose, while at the same time insisting it is supporting the police who are investigating her.
One would expect Mbandazayo to grasp the difference between supplying the police with all available information pertaining to the alleged crimes, and only giving the police that which they directly ask for.
And one would expect the City Manager to understand that when the City communicates through its social media channels what it says is regarded by consumers as its official position.
But Mbandazayo’s response to a set of questions from GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron displays no comprehension of any of the above.
Instead, he trots out the hoary old presumption of innocence until guilt has been proven.
He denies that the City has issued any statements on the subject despite it having published statements defending Grose on Twitter and Facebook.
He says the Speaker is entitled to approve legal representation for councillors despite the recent Constitutional Court judgement.
It may look like a swimming pool, smell like a swimming pool, and occupy pride of place on the patio, but it is in fact a fire extinguisher, former Minister Nhleko told us.
Mbandazayo couldn’t have put it better.
“We’ve been saying for a while now that the ANC has taught the DA well. They don’t govern for the people, but at their expense. Grose is being prosecuted for money-laundering and fraud involving Covid humanitarian funds. These are hardly trifling allegations,” said Herron.
“It is sadly no surprise that the DA is asking ratepayers to fund her defence, and that the City Manager doesn’t have the courage to stand up to his political masters.”
Regards
Brett Heron
GOOD Party Secretary General
