Mynhard Slabbert, Stellenbosch’s deputy mayor, says that during his time in office he made sustained efforts to report alleged irregularities regarding municipal property transactions. (Photo: Provided)
Mynhard Slabbert, Stellenbosch’s deputy mayor, says that during his time in office he made sustained efforts to report alleged irregularities regarding municipal property transactions.
According to him, he already reported the issue to the municipality last year and subsequently reported it on various forums inside and outside the municipality, to the DA, and to Anton Bredell, the Western Cape MEC for local government, environmental affairs and development planning. The same complaints were also reported by municipal administrative officers to the auditor general (AG), the Hawks and the special investigation unit.
Slabbert says the irregularities concern property transactions entered into since 2018. He says the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA) stipulates that a municipal council has the sole authority to decide on the alienation, sale and letting of municipal property and that such transactions must take place through an open and fair tender process.
According to him, these legal directives were not always exercised in accordance with the law, but were delegated to the mayor without the relevant transactions going through the required public and competitive tender processes.
He warns that this exposes the municipality to possible legal and financial risks, as rental contracts can later be declared invalid if the prescribed procedures have not been complied with.
(Photo: Stellenbosch Municipality/X)
Slabbert says property transactions that have not been approved by the council and entered into under false pretenses can have serious consequences for tenants and financial institutions. He also says that the OG and legal services already pointed out the possible financial risks to the municipality last year.
“I am in an impossible situation. If you remain silent, you become an accomplice. When you are an office bearer and become aware of irregularities, you must report them,” said Slabbert.
Slabbert says that in his capacity as deputy mayor and DA councilor he has repeatedly expressed concern about illegal tendering and hiring processes. According to him, it was his aim to warn the municipality against possible legal and financial risks if leases were later declared invalid.
He further states that he acted as a protected discloser in terms of the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA act) in relation to disclosures about the municipality’s breaches of the MFMA and the supply channel management regulations at the municipality.
The complaints were formally and in writing acknowledged by Bredell and the DA’s federal committee.
Bredell’s office has already issued a statement in which they undertook to investigate the complaints, as well as that his forensic investigation department will investigate the complaints.
“These disclosures were made in good faith,” says Slabbert.
The DA’s management has meanwhile decided that Slabbert must step down from this office, after the party’s caucus voted overwhelmingly in favor of a motion of no confidence against him.
According to Jan de Villiers, the DA’s national spokesperson, Slabbert was given 48 hours to resign as deputy mayor. However, he will still remain as a DA councilor and party member.
“The DA will, in accordance with our commitment to good government, ensure that office bearers at all levels of government enjoy the support and trust of their colleagues and the party structures within which they function,” said De Villiers.
The party says a new deputy mayor will be appointed according to the prescribed processes