Political parties in the City of Cape Town council slammed the majority DA for “playing double standards” in sanctions against councillors.
This comes after a disciplinary committee, composed of 50% DA members, recommended that Zahid Badroodien be issued with a final written warning for the alleged tampering with electricity meters at his property in Rylands.
The committee recommended that Badroodien be found guilty of contravening the code of conduct and that he failed to act in the best interests of the City.
It further found that Badroodien's conduct compromised the City's credibility and integrity.
The council noted the recommendation which was supported by a majority during the meeting.
Badroodien was Mayco member for water and sanitation until he voluntarily stood down after allegations of electricity meter tampering surfaced in 2022.
He was charged with gross misconduct, breaching the City's electricity supply by-law and the code of conduct for councillors,
A disciplinary hearing, which sat for four days spread out in October 2022, November 2022, January 2023 and March 2023, could not find that Badroodien was personally responsible for the tampering or was aware of the issue.
However, the committee was of the view that, as the lawful and registered owner of the property, Badroodien should have been more diligent in managing his responsibilities.
EFF councillor Nosipho Makamba-Botya condemned the “shocking sanction” and described it as a “slap on the wrist” for someone who was expected to act in an ethical and moral manner.
“He must cease to be part of the institution,” charged Makamba-Botya.
She also accused the City of double standards and said “race” dictated how the DA-run City handled cases.
“Malusi Booi (axed as Mayco member for human settlements) was fired on the basis of an allegation. Badroodien was found guilty of a charge by the committee. Black people have no future in the DA,” she said.
The Coloured Cape Congress said there was a pattern within the City of treating certain races better than others and “playing double standards”.
“Booi has not even been charged and yet Nora Grose, who has been charged with misappropriating funds, is still in this house,” said party’s Nadia Satarien.
The ANC's Anele Gabuza said Badroodien had a duty to set an example of ethical and moral conduct to communities and to act responsibly.
“No one is above the law or has a right to breach any code of conduct. The house was still in his name when the tampering occurred. But those who are of a certain ethnic group are treated differently,” said Gabuza.
The chairperson of the disciplinary committee, and former deputy mayor, Ian Neilson, said mitigating factors were taken into consideration when issuing the sanction.
These included the fact that Badroodien was “not aware” of the tampering although it was “clear that there was fraud”.
The speaker, Felicity Purchase, will inform the MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, of the findings and sanction within 14 days.
Weekend Argus