THE Ndlambe Democratic Alliance has asked police to investigate corruption charges against Mayor Sipho Tandani.
The move follows allegations in court that he offered a local hardware store a lucrative municipal piping contract as a trade-off for some R92000 he personally owed them.
The explosive allegations are contained in a sequestration affidavit against Tandani submitted to the Grahamstown High Court last week by a director of Builders Trader, Rory McNelis, which claims the bribe was offered as an alternative to paying the outstanding money.
McNelis’s claims are backed up in a supporting affidavit by Builders Trader attorney Hein Audie, in which he confirms he was approached by Tandani and advised in September last year that someone would approach McNelis with “a payment proposal soonest”.
According to McNelis’s affidavit he was approached later that same day by an employee with an offer that they would be awarded a municipal piping contract .
McNelis says in his affidavit he refused the offer and asked Audie to instead proceed with legal action to try and recover the money.
According to McNelis’s affidavit, when Tandani applied for credit with the hardware store he had indicated he earned R66285 a month .
On the strength of that, Builders Trader had granted Tandani a 30-day account with a limit of R100000.
Despite the large salary, repeated efforts to recoup the money owed in terms of the credit agreement failed and McNelis successfully obtained a default judgment against Tandani for the amount owed.
But Tandani had indicated that he had no disposable property for them to seize to satisfy the judgment debt and legal costs – leaving McNelis with no choice but to resort to sequestration proceedings.
A media statement by councillor Terri Stander of the DA Ndlambe caucus said the party had forwarded a copy of both affidavits to police .
Although she confirmed having a meeting with DA caucus leaders on Tuesday, local police station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Lizette Zeelie declined to comment further.
Tandani declined to comment yesterday and referred the Dispatch to his attorney Doreen Mgoduka instead.
She said the matter was sub judice and explained Tandani would “answer to the allegations at the opportune time”. —
Police asked to probe Ndlambe mayor for graft
The move follows allegations in court that he offered a local hardware store a lucrative municipal piping contract as a trade-off for some R92000 he personally owed them.
The explosive allegations are contained in a sequestration affidavit against Tandani submitted to the Grahamstown High Court last week by a director of Builders Trader, Rory McNelis, which claims the bribe was offered as an alternative to paying the outstanding money.
McNelis’s claims are backed up in a supporting affidavit by Builders Trader attorney Hein Audie, in which he confirms he was approached by Tandani and advised in September last year that someone would approach McNelis with “a payment proposal soonest”.
According to McNelis’s affidavit he was approached later that same day by an employee with an offer that they would be awarded a municipal piping contract .
McNelis says in his affidavit he refused the offer and asked Audie to instead proceed with legal action to try and recover the money.
According to McNelis’s affidavit, when Tandani applied for credit with the hardware store he had indicated he earned R66285 a month .
On the strength of that, Builders Trader had granted Tandani a 30-day account with a limit of R100000.
Despite the large salary, repeated efforts to recoup the money owed in terms of the credit agreement failed and McNelis successfully obtained a default judgment against Tandani for the amount owed.
But Tandani had indicated that he had no disposable property for them to seize to satisfy the judgment debt and legal costs – leaving McNelis with no choice but to resort to sequestration proceedings.
A media statement by councillor Terri Stander of the DA Ndlambe caucus said the party had forwarded a copy of both affidavits to police .
Although she confirmed having a meeting with DA caucus leaders on Tuesday, local police station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Lizette Zeelie declined to comment further.
Tandani declined to comment yesterday and referred the Dispatch to his attorney Doreen Mgoduka instead.
She said the matter was sub judice and explained Tandani would “answer to the allegations at the opportune time”. —
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