Cape Town - Cape Town housing mayco member Malusi Booi has been given the boot as fraud and corruption allegations hang over his head.
Booi was fired with immediate effect on Thursday by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, following his suspension last week.
His suspension came in the wake of an office raid by police at the City’s Civic Centre offices, where officers confiscated Booi’s phone along with that of his PA and another person who works in his portfolio. The investigators also took some documents.
The City said: “Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has removed Councillor Malusi Booi from the Mayoral Committee (Mayco) with immediate effect, following his initial suspension on March 16, 2023. This removal from Mayco follows an updated briefing from the South African Police Services (SAPS) regarding progress on their investigation into alleged fraud and corruption.”
Hill-Lewis said that while Booi had not been charged, he decided to remove him.
“I have received an updated briefing from the SAPS regarding their investigation, and on this basis, have decided to remove Councillor Malusi Booi from his position on the Mayoral Committee with immediate effect. While Councillor Booi has not been charged, the matters under investigation are, to my mind, serious enough to warrant immediate action to protect the integrity of our government. I have further assured the SAPS of the City’s full support in the ongoing investigation. The City has a zero tolerance approach to fraud and corruption, and I will not hesitate to act in the interests of good governance.”
The GOOD Party has welcomed the news of Booi’s removal but raised concern over the difference in treatment of Booi and councillor Nora Grose, who has been investigated for the alleged misappropriation of funds and whose legal costs were covered by the City.
GOOD said the DA needed to deal with “all the criminal accused in its Council caucus”.
“The investigation into these allegations at the Human Settlements Directorate has been ongoing for sometime, with officials raising alarm as far back as 2020. The public deserves an honest update.
“The mayor must provide clarity on what more he learned about Booi’s conduct that he did not know last week, when he announced his ‘suspension’.
“Moreover, the mayor has had access to a City-funded forensic investigation into housing corruption, and unless that investigation was selective, the mayor must have been aware of information that implicated Booi long before the raid. The mayor needs to explain why he waited until now to act.
“The mayor’s decision to sack Booi also raises the issue of Nora Grose once again, as she is currently being defended with the help of public funds when she’s already charged in the Commercial Crimes Court. The City cannot continue to ignore questions around this inconsistency,” the party said.
Cape Times