ANC ‘shattered’ by COPE mayor Murunwa Makwarela’s alleged fraud
Chief registrar in the office of the chief justice says the supposed court order Makwarela submitted was fake and it would refer the matter to the Hawks
13 March 2023 - 10:32
by Kyle Zeeman
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Former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela has caused a stir. File picture: MASI LOSI.
The ANC has criticised former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela for allegedly presenting a fake document of rehabilitation claiming he was not insolvent.
According to the constitution, an individual who is declared an unrehabilitated insolvent cannot hold public office.
COPE member Makwarela tendered his resignation on Friday after the chief registrar in theoffice of the chief justice confirmed the supposed court order submitted by Makwarela was fake. It said it would refer the matter to the Hawks.
ANC Tshwane regional secretary George Matjila said the party was “devastated, shocked and shattered” by the developments.
“We don’t believe a person of Dr Makwarela’s calibre can get involved in such [alleged] illegal actions. We are extremely worried by a lot of things,” he told 702’s John Perlman.
He said Makwarela had been speaker in council for more than a year and questioned the decisions made by him during that time.
Matjila said that when questioned, at first Makwarela assured the ANC he had been rehabilitated and there was nothing to worry about.
“Because we are not experts he showed us a document and we believed him.”
He claimed some in the party did question the document and apparently raised concerns with the city manager, but the party gave Makwarela the benefit of the doubt.
Days after being elected mayor, Makwarela was“disqualified” because of an insolvency declaration case dating back to 2016.
City manager Johann Mettler’s office asked Makwarela to prove he had been rehabilitated, but it is said he failed to provide evidence.
Makwarela insisted he was rehabilitated and produced a document he alleged proved this.
He was reinstated but the authenticity of the document was questioned.
Chief registrar in the office of the chief justice, Tumelo Ledwaba, confirmed the court had no knowledge of the document submitted by Makwarela and no rehabilitation order had been issued by the court to parties named in the document.
Makwarela resigned within hours, claiming his decision was not an admission of guilt but rather to allow the city to focus on service delivery.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
ANC ‘shattered’ by COPE mayor Murunwa Makwarela’s alleged fraud
Chief registrar in the office of the chief justice says the supposed court order Makwarela submitted was fake and it would refer the matter to the Hawks
The ANC has criticised former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela for allegedly presenting a fake document of rehabilitation claiming he was not insolvent.
According to the constitution, an individual who is declared an unrehabilitated insolvent cannot hold public office.
COPE member Makwarela tendered his resignation on Friday after the chief registrar in the office of the chief justice confirmed the supposed court order submitted by Makwarela was fake. It said it would refer the matter to the Hawks.
ANC Tshwane regional secretary George Matjila said the party was “devastated, shocked and shattered” by the developments.
“We don’t believe a person of Dr Makwarela’s calibre can get involved in such [alleged] illegal actions. We are extremely worried by a lot of things,” he told 702’s John Perlman.
He said Makwarela had been speaker in council for more than a year and questioned the decisions made by him during that time.
Matjila said that when questioned, at first Makwarela assured the ANC he had been rehabilitated and there was nothing to worry about.
“Because we are not experts he showed us a document and we believed him.”
He claimed some in the party did question the document and apparently raised concerns with the city manager, but the party gave Makwarela the benefit of the doubt.
Days after being elected mayor, Makwarela was “disqualified” because of an insolvency declaration case dating back to 2016.
City manager Johann Mettler’s office asked Makwarela to prove he had been rehabilitated, but it is said he failed to provide evidence.
Makwarela insisted he was rehabilitated and produced a document he alleged proved this.
He was reinstated but the authenticity of the document was questioned.
Chief registrar in the office of the chief justice, Tumelo Ledwaba, confirmed the court had no knowledge of the document submitted by Makwarela and no rehabilitation order had been issued by the court to parties named in the document.
Makwarela resigned within hours, claiming his decision was not an admission of guilt but rather to allow the city to focus on service delivery.
Reuters
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