We have been acutely aware of the confusion and lack of information amongst our supporters.
Until now it has simply not been possible to share with you all the shenanigans in Bitou Municipality and in Mayor Peter Lobese’s office. Had we done so we would not have been in a position to obtain the necessary information to bring the perpetrators of fraud and corruption to book.
Even now the full extent of the corruption and looting is not apparent. More will emerge with the involvement of the DA Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, SAPS and the Hawks.
We must pay huge tribute to our DA councillors for the stressful eleven months in the coalition with Peter Lobese. Especially to the DA caucus leader, Bill Nel, who has worked night and day to uncover the fraud and initiate the forensic investigations and legal processes. And to Donald Grant, MEC, our Bitou Constituency Political Head, who has worked tirelessly to maintain the coalition for the sake of all the people of Bitou and to return Bitou to the Rule of Law.
Thank you for your support for the task we undertook to reverse and uncover the fraud and corruption.
Liz Mundell, Chairperson Bitou Constituency Executive
The DA / AUF coalition has de facto been broken by the AUF.
The final straw was when the Executive Mayor, Peter Lobese, voted in an illegal council meeting on 24 April in support of a motion of no confidence in the DA Speaker and the DA Deputy Mayor tabled by the ANC.
This was in complete violation of the Democratic Alliance / African United Front memorandum of understanding governing the coalition.
At the meeting Councillor Euan Wildeman (ANC) was elected Speaker, Peter Lobese (AUF) remained as Executive Mayor and Councillor Gcabayi (ANC) elected Deputy Mayor.
The meeting was illegal on a number of procedural grounds. This was made clear beforehand to Peter Lobese and all the councillors who, nevertheless, proceeded with the meeting.
The DA councillors did not attend the meeting.
The DA has applied for a court order declaring this meeting illegal.
After the local government election in 2016 the DA won 6 seats with 49% of the votes , the ANC 6 seats with 41% and the AUF 1 seat with 5%.
The AUF formed a coalition with the ANC to govern Bitou with Peter Lobese, the king maker, becoming the Executive Mayor.
In May 2017, Lobese left the ANC to form a new coalition with the DA citing corruption in the ANC as his reason. Given his situation as king maker, he was given the Executive Mayorship again.
After only ten months the ANC / AUF coalition had failed to deliver services, spent more than 9 million rand on fruitless and wasteful expenditure, decimated senior staff structures and caused rock bottom morale in the remaining officials.
The coalition memorandum of agreement between the DA and AUF stressed, among other things, the importance of service delivery to all Bitou communities and the elimination of all corruption. Given Lobese’s reason for leaving the ANC the DA was optimistic that these goals could be achieved.
In accordance with these goals, the DA initiated a forensic investigation into the affairs of Bitou.
This investigation indicated serious illegal actions, wasteful and fruitless expenditure, corruption and fraud by the Municipal Manager, Thabo Ndlovu, the Chief Financial Officer, senior Heads of Departments and officials in the Executive Mayor’s office.
The Municipal Manager and Head of Corporate Services were suspended and disciplinary proceedings instituted against them.
On 31 March 2018 Peter Lobese voted with the ANC to prevent the extension of the contract of the Acting Municipal Manager, Johnny Douglas, a highly regarded professional official deployed by the Minister of Local Government in the Western Cape after the suspension of Ndlovu.
Lobese also voted with the ANC to stop the disciplinary proceedings against Ndlovu and to re-instate him.
This was an illegal decision and the DA applied for a court declaratory order declaring it so and making the decision invalid. On advice from his lawyers, Lobese was obliged to remove Ndlovu from office and not oppose the court application.
It has been a continuous problem for the DA working with Lobese who habitually took unilateral decisions and actions without consultation with the DA, acted capriciously changing his mind on a whim and not abiding by decisions of the combined DA / AUF Caucus.
The actions of Lobese and Ndlovu, together with the serious staff situation, has made it impossible to provide service delivery and many serious issues have been neglected.
There were sufficient grounds for some time for the DA to break the coalition, but it was decided that it would be in the best interests of Bitou to remain in the coalition to prevent corruption where possible and be in the position to obtain all necessary information to bring the perpetrators of corruption to book.
As a result of the forensic investigation, serious criminal charges have been laid with SAPS against Peter Lobese, senior officials and officials in the Mayor’s office. These charges include alleged illegal siphoning of money out of municipal accounts.
The usual sad response from the AUF leadership in the CXPress of 26 April 2018 that “the DA is a racist organisation” and acts only against black Africans as they are viewed as corrupt and incompetent, is rejected with the contempt it deserves.
It is now inevitable that the DA will return to opposition but will continue to fight against corruption and push for service delivery for the people of Bitou.
Should the AUF leadership decide to replace Lobese and be willing to work constructively with the DA, the DA would once again be prepared to form a coalition with them.
Bill Nel, DA Caucus Leader
Donald Grant, MEC, Bitou Constituency Political Head
