When the council speaker of Walter Sisulu Municipality (Gariep and Maletswai) called a council meeting last Thursday, he had no idea it would be the scene of his own dramatic arrest.
Kholekile Lange was presiding over a special council meeting when the Hawks stormed the council chambers and marched him off to jail.
The arrest was made after one of a number of probes by a newly formed Hawks task team set up to eradicate corruption in Eastern Cape municipalities.
Lange faces fraud charges relating to travel claims he submitted. He was arrested following months of investigations into allegations that he was claiming money from the municipality for using his own car to do official work, although he does not own a vehicle.
Meanwhile, when the chaotic council meeting continued without Lange, the councillors resolved to award themselves a 4% salary increase, with both the ANC and the DA voting in favour of the pay rise, even though the municipality cannot pay its bills.
The Economic Freedom Fighters rejected the increase, arguing that it would compromise service delivery even further as the council was not a financially viable institution.
The cash-strapped municipality is struggling to pay Eskom a staggering electricity debt of R112-million.
Hawks national spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said Lange had been allegedly using the registration number of a car that was not registered in his name to make travel claims.
State employees, including managers and council members, are entitled to claim if they use their own vehicles to do official work.
Lange spent Thursday night in a cell at the Aliwal North police station, and appeared in court on Friday, where he was granted bail of R5000. The case was postponed to March 21.
Some among the 22 councillors called the incident an embarrassment, and the official opposition, the DA, called for Lange to step down. The party plans to submit a motion of no confidence in the speaker.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, DA PR councillor Matthee Nel said: “The office of the speaker is meant to act objectively, fairly and with great integrity when it comes to council matters.
“We cannot have a speaker who is in jail when he should be working to solve the enormous issues of delivery breakdown in Walter Sisulu. The speaker should step down, or face a DA motion of no confidence.”
Nel said the DA would present the motion formally at the end of March, when the council sat for a full ordinary council meeting.
Nel, who was present during the drama at the chambers, said the Hawks initially called municipal manager Thembinkosi Mawonga for a short meeting outside the chambers, before ordering the speaker to leave.
“We were very surprised – everyone in the chambers was shocked. The council meeting was interrupted. Mawonga was seen talking to the Hawks after councillor Lange was escorted to a vehicle and driven to Aliwal North police station, where he spent the night.”
The EFF called for the establishment of a council committee to look into the allegations.
EFF councillor Vuyisile Schoeman said: “If the allegations against the speaker are true, then we would submit a motion of no confidence against him, calling for him to step down. We have confidence in the law and we will let it run its course.”
ANC spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane and ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane could not be reached for comment. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Council speaker arrested at meeting
Kholekile Lange was presiding over a special council meeting when the Hawks stormed the council chambers and marched him off to jail.
The arrest was made after one of a number of probes by a newly formed Hawks task team set up to eradicate corruption in Eastern Cape municipalities.
Lange faces fraud charges relating to travel claims he submitted. He was arrested following months of investigations into allegations that he was claiming money from the municipality for using his own car to do official work, although he does not own a vehicle.
Meanwhile, when the chaotic council meeting continued without Lange, the councillors resolved to award themselves a 4% salary increase, with both the ANC and the DA voting in favour of the pay rise, even though the municipality cannot pay its bills.
The Economic Freedom Fighters rejected the increase, arguing that it would compromise service delivery even further as the council was not a financially viable institution.
The cash-strapped municipality is struggling to pay Eskom a staggering electricity debt of R112-million.
Hawks national spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said Lange had been allegedly using the registration number of a car that was not registered in his name to make travel claims.
State employees, including managers and council members, are entitled to claim if they use their own vehicles to do official work.
Lange spent Thursday night in a cell at the Aliwal North police station, and appeared in court on Friday, where he was granted bail of R5000. The case was postponed to March 21.
Some among the 22 councillors called the incident an embarrassment, and the official opposition, the DA, called for Lange to step down. The party plans to submit a motion of no confidence in the speaker.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, DA PR councillor Matthee Nel said: “The office of the speaker is meant to act objectively, fairly and with great integrity when it comes to council matters.
“We cannot have a speaker who is in jail when he should be working to solve the enormous issues of delivery breakdown in Walter Sisulu. The speaker should step down, or face a DA motion of no confidence.”
Nel said the DA would present the motion formally at the end of March, when the council sat for a full ordinary council meeting.
Nel, who was present during the drama at the chambers, said the Hawks initially called municipal manager Thembinkosi Mawonga for a short meeting outside the chambers, before ordering the speaker to leave.
“We were very surprised – everyone in the chambers was shocked. The council meeting was interrupted. Mawonga was seen talking to the Hawks after councillor Lange was escorted to a vehicle and driven to Aliwal North police station, where he spent the night.”
The EFF called for the establishment of a council committee to look into the allegations.
EFF councillor Vuyisile Schoeman said: “If the allegations against the speaker are true, then we would submit a motion of no confidence against him, calling for him to step down. We have confidence in the law and we will let it run its course.”
ANC spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane and ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane could not be reached for comment. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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