*SWELLENDAM: NEW REPORT LIFTS LID ON HORNET’S NEST OF CORRUPTION IN DA-RUN MUNICIPALITY* *GOOD* Statement by *Brett Herron* , *GOOD* Secretary-General 05 February 2025 An investigation into alleged procurement irregularities at Swellendam Municipality lifts the lid on systemic corruption and recommends consideration be given to criminal charges against senior officials including the Municipal Manager and Supply Chain Manager. The investigative report provides crucial context to the dramatic suspension and reinstatement of the Southern Cape town’s Municipal Manager Anneleen Vorster late last year, as well as the recent ousting of the DA Mayor Francois du Rand in a motion of no confidence brought by the ANC and supported by the FF+. The FF+ councillor, who held the position of Speaker, resigned on principle last week after being instructed by his party to vote to reinstate the DA mayor – leaving the town with neither a Speaker or a Mayor. In his report, investigator Advocate Etienne Vermaak calls on the municipality to institute a broader investigation “into patterns of systemic bias across multiple tenders… to ensure compliance with legal and constitutional procurement standards”. The report reveals a litany of misconduct including brazen conflicts of interest leading to unauthorized and/or irregular expenditure by the municipality. Advocate Vermaak scrutinized the municipality’s management of six tenders in the fields of engineering services and IT. He recommended disciplinary action be taken against Municipal Manager Vorster in each case, as well as, against the municipality’s CFO, Supply Chain Manager and other senior officials in some of the cases. In respect of one of the tenders, the advocate found “there was clearly an intention by the Municipal Manager to reappoint a particular service provider for 7-8 continuous years by circumventing prescribed procurement processes.” That this service provider’s tax affairs weren’t in order, “did not deter the Municipal Manager”. On the final page of his report, dated 1 December 2024, Advocate Vermaak recommends that the Auditor General be informed of the alleged transgressions, and “that consideration be given to criminal charges against those employees mentioned in this regard in the various reports”. Advocate Vermaak additionally recommends that the municipality “address the conflict of interest” between a father and son, Francois and Jacques Ryke. The son works for an engineering company that receives tenders from the municipality, while the father advises the municipality on the award of the tenders. Their alleged deception extended to the son signing into tender briefings under a false name. After Vorster persuaded the High Court to order her reinstatement to the position of Municipal Manager last November, the DA Constituency Head in Swellendam Leon Van Wyk issued a statement condemning councillors for an “orchestrated attempt to destabilise and disrupt municipal services”. Vorster must go, and the DA attempt to reinstate a mayor who has presided over a municipality shot through with corruption must be called out for placing broederskap above municipal integrity. The Vermaak report triggers a legal obligation on the Mayor and the Council to follow the Regulations for Disciplinary Action against Senior Managers. A failure to do so constitutes maladministration which requires MEC Bredell to intervene in terms of Sec 106 of the Municipal Systems Act.