AfriForum directed a written enquiry to the Provincial Commissioner of Organised Crime in KwaZulu-Natal to make an enquiry regarding the status of the investigation against a former mayor of Newcastle. This follows after AfriForum in 2016 laid a criminal charge at the SAPS regarding the irregular procurement of three generators whereby the former mayor Afzul Rehman and a member of his family are implicated.
AfriForum’s Newcastle branch appointed a forensic investigator to investigate these allegations. The investigator compiled a docket pointing out various suspicious transactions in the Newcastle Local Municipality and handed it over to the Hawks.
“We referred this matter to the office of Adv. Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, seeing as no formal criminal case has been opened yet after more than three years. We hope that justice will prevail in due course,” says Peet Liebenberg, Vice-chairperson of AfriForum’s Newcastle branch.
“We see daily how tax money is squandered in self-enrichment of politicians and their friends. Corruption places local authorities and other sectors of the government under financial pressure and undermines the delivery of basic services to communities,” says Eugene van Aswegen, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal.
AfriForum and its Private Prosecution Unit will continue applying pressure to ensure that dishonest and corrupt officials are prosecuted.
Become involved with your local AfriForum branch: SMS your name to 45267 (R1).