Publications
- The DA in the Western Cape has defended its decision to remove Malusi Booi from the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee following a police raid last week at his offices.
- Opposition parties have raised concerns that the removal is unfair, considering no action was taken against Nora Grose, who faces charges of fund misappropriation.
- DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers denied this, saying Grose had stepped away from all political activities.
The DA has defended its decision to remove councillor Malusi Booi from the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee, despite opposition parties labelling it as double standards.
Opposition parties said Booi's removal was unfair, considering no action has been taken against Nora Grose, who faces charges related to the misappropriation of funds, and is out on R10 000 bail.
But DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers said Grose was not being considered for any senior full-time positions.
"In that way, she and Malusi are now treated exactly the same. From the party's political side, she voluntarily stepped back from all party-related activities, which was accepted by the party," he said.
READ | 'Public is not out of pocket': Hill-Lewis defends footing Cape Town councillor's R500 000 legal bill
Booi was removed from the mayoral committee on Thursday evening by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. The DA has urgently convened a meeting to discuss the possible suspension.
"Booi has been sent a letter notifying him of the provincial executive committee's (PEC) intention to suspend him and giving him an opportunity to provide reasons why it shouldn't be done. He also has the option to voluntarily step back from party-related activities pending the outcome of the investigation or any new information that comes to light," Simmers said.
ANC caucus leader Banele Majingo said Booi had not yet been formally charged as the matter was still under investigation.
"It must be stated that the ANC is perplexed at the swiftness by the mayor in removing Booi from his position," he said.
"It leaves us wondering if he has any information at his disposal, which we don't know of, that might be of a damning nature against Booi."
Majingo added that Grose, a former member of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC), had been charged for misappropriating hundreds of thousands in City funds meant for food relief during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The City of Cape Town is still footing her legal bill of more than R500 000 in taxpayer money. Grose is currently out on a R10 000 bail, yet she remains a councillor in the City of Cape Town. Our calls for her removal have fallen on deaf ears," he said.
READ | The DA has a corruption, money laundering accused on their candidate list in Cape Town
In September last year, Hill-Lewis said "the public would not be out of pocket" in funding Grose's defence.
He said that if a public official was found guilty, they would be liable to repay the costs of their defence to the City.
The mayor said at the time:
On Friday, GOOD councillor Suzette Little said: "The mayor's decision to sack Booi also raises the issue of Nora Grose once again, as she is currently being defended with the help of public funds when she's already charged in the Commercial Crimes Court. The City cannot continue to ignore questions around this inconsistency."
EFF Cape metro chairperson Ntsikelelo Tyandela said DA must not be a "coward and racist in its approach".
"This is a racist act to save a white face from being accused of corruption. This is because, in the eyes of the DA, whiteness is a goddess. The EFF calls for the DA to fire Councillor Nora Grose for fraud and money laundering allegations," he said.
