Kagiso Lerutla (Foto: Justice, Crime Prevention and Security/X)
On Monday, the DA in Ekurhuleni once again presented an urgent motion to the speaker of the metro council to place Kagiso Lerutla, the beleaguered city manager, on precautionary suspension.
In addition, the speaker must convene an urgent council meeting so that the motion can be considered.
Lerutla returned to work on Monday after appearing in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court last month with Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Service (EMPD) on charges of corruption, fraud and defeat of justice.
Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, the DA’s mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni, says Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, the mayor of Ekurhuleni, had the opportunity in the last council meeting to act in the best interest of the metro and suspend Lerutla.
“But he didn’t,” Rasilingwane pointed out on Monday.
Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, the DA’s mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni. (Photo: Provided)
“Instead of choosing liability, he presented confusion as an excuse and asked that he be allowed to obtain a legal opinion, despite having several weeks at his disposal to do so.
“This is a slap in the face of residents of Ekurhuleni, who deserve a government that holds its officials to the highest possible standards,” Rasilingwane believes.
“The DA will not watch as someone who is accused of fraud, corruption and defeating the law is allowed to return to work,” says Rasilingwane.
“We demand that the speaker take the allegations against Lerutla seriously. They cannot continue to aid and abet Xhakaza and the ANC in their efforts to shield officials from accountability.
“The days of corrupt officials teaming up with corrupt politicians to fulfill their corrupt desires must come to an end.”
Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, the DA’s mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni. (Photo: Provided)