Cape Town - Claims that a personal assistant in the Kannaland municipality will earn R100 000 a month are to be investigated by Western Cape local government MEC Anton Bredell.
“We became aware of a situation in Kannaland this morning and we are investigating,” Bredell’s spokesperson James Brent-Styan said on Thursday.
In a later statement, Bredell said the department had already been tasked with looking into the allegations.
“Allegations like these are always concerning and as such we take them very seriously. When we have determined all the facts, there will be further comments on the matter.”
Independent Congress of SA (Icosa) leader Jan Kamfer made the claims. His party was ousted from the municipality in a shock coalition between the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress after the August 3 local government elections.
“It is the highest-paid PA in the world,” said a disgruntled Kamfer.
In addition, municipal manager Morne Hoogbaard was asked to leave and an acting municipal manager, Nigel Delo, was appointed.
“There is a big crisis in Kannaland. It worries me as leader of Icosa,” he said.
The party thought it was safe in council after it got 48% of the votes in the August 3 elections, but was ousted by an ANC/DA coalition.
In 2015, the municipality risked being plunged into darkness when it could not pay its Eskom account.
Kannaland is in an area between Laingsburg, Robertson and George and prides itself on its cheese production.
The DA and ANC had said the coalition was formed without their permission and would be investigated.
Kamfer said he laid charges of fraud regarding the appointments.
