A Joe Morolong Municipality councillor is the “only comrade” in the Province that has been informed by the ANC to abide by the step-aside rule
ONLY one councillor in the Northern Cape has been informed by the ANC to abide by the step-aside rule as she is facing charges of corruption.
The ANC has ordered any member who is facing serious criminal charges to voluntarily step down by April 30.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who is facing charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering, gave provinces until April 15 to finalise the list of members who were charged with corruption or facing other serious charges.
ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga said on Tuesday that Joe Morolong Municipality councillor Keemenao Julia Katong was the only comrade informed by the provincial leadership to step aside, as she had appeared twice in court on charges of corruption.
“The ANC provincial executive committee calls on our deployees to firmly deal with corruption in our government by reporting all those who are alleged (to have committed acts of corruption) to the law enforcement agencies,” said Ngxanga.
Katong and her son, Boineelo Lennox Katong, were arrested in June last year by the Hawks.
It is alleged that the councillor demanded gratifications from a subcontractor, who provided transport services for workers of Down Touch Investment (Pty) Ltd, to ensure that the services provided to the contractor (Down Touch Investment (Pty) Ltd), were not terminated.
Transport was provided for workers employed on a road construction tender that was estimated to be worth R286,000.
According to the Hawks, transactions were paid into the accused’s bank account between April and September 2019, including R2,500 for the councillor’s tyres, while R12,500 was paid into her son’s bank account.
The councillor’s son was employed as the community liaison officer, who apparently facilitated the process of removing the subcontractor’s taxis from the project by allegedly making false presentations to the site manager of Down Touch Investment.
