The DA has today, once again, written to the Emfuleni Local Municipality Acting Municipal Manager, Collin Kekana, to request that he provide the DA and the local council with the declaration of interests of all political parties represented in council.
The declaration of interest documents were requested for the Mayor, Simon Mofokeng, all MMCs and the Whippery including the Leader of the Opposition and all chairpersons of committees.
According to the Municipal Systems Act of 2000, when elected or appointed, a councillor must within 60 days declare in writing to the municipal manager the following financial interests held by that councillor:
- shares and securities in any company;
• membership of any close corporation; .
• interest in any trust;
• directorships;
• partnerships;
• other financial interests in any business undertaking:
• employment and remuneration:
• interest in property;
• pension; and
• subsidies, grants and sponsorships by any organisation.
Only the municipal council can determine which of the financial interests referred to must be made public and determine what should remain private.
The refusal by the acting Municipal Manager to provide the DA with the information begs the question as to what exactly the municipality is hiding.
Simon Mofokeng and his cronies are running Emfuleni into the ground whilst allegedly running successful businesses and allegedly channelling funds through these businesses.
Should the DA not receive any response from the acting municipal manager, we will have no other choice but to submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act application (PAIA).
Emfuleni residents deserve to know the financial interests of their elected officials.