Cape Town - Axed Human settlements mayco member Malusi Booi has apparently been ducking and diving from receiving the DA’s letter notifying him of suspension, forcing the party to enlist the services of the sheriff.
The DA said a number of attempts had been made to serve Booi a letter of intention to suspend him, with no success.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis sacked him as the mayco member of human settlements with immediate effect on Thursday, following Booi’s suspension from the mayoral committee.
The decision to remove him came after police briefed Hill-Lewis further about their fraud and corruption investigation into Booi.
The DA’s provincial executive committee (PEC) held an urgent meeting on Thursday night to discuss “possible remedial action”.
The party’s provincial leader Tertius Simmers said on Sunday: “Since the PEC meeting, several attempts to serve the intention to suspend papers on councillor Malusi Booi have been unsuccessful.
This despite the fact that during two separate telephone conversations, he was alerted to the need to serve the documents on him, and on one occasion, councillor Booi did not honour a meeting agreed on. The matter is now with party lawyers for the sheriff of the court to serve the intention to suspend letters. Regular updates on the matter will be provided.”
Police have remained mum on the allegations Booi faces after they raided his office and seized electronic devices and documents.
All they would say is that the circumstances of the case were still under investigation and that they could not divulge any information that could jeopardise the investigation.
However Anti-crime activist Hanif Loonat and the Cape Coloured Congress (CCC) have claimed the raid was linked to the multi-million Tender 243Q fraud that saw a number of people, including City officials and directors of several local businesses being arrested.
The Cape Times’ sister paper, the Weekend Argus cited independent sources as saying police were also probing allegations that over the years Booi had received bags of money, as well as bribes from, among others, leading figures or people with links to the underworld in connection with housing tenders.
Councillor Booi was appointed as Mayco member for human settlements in 2018. His portfolio has seen a number of delays in construction and delivery of houses.
The increase of extortion by gangs has been cited as being among the major contributors to this.
Last month Booi announced a R1m reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of those responsible for the murder of City Environmental Affairs official, Wendy Kloppers at a housing construction site in Delft and other incidents affecting housing.
Attempts to obtain comment from Booi were unsuccessful. His cellphone was on voicemail.
Housing rights group Reclaim the City welcomed Booi’s removal.
“Despite a groundbreaking ceremony in 2019 on one of the sites designated for affordable housing in Woodstock and Salt River, not a single social housing unit has been built in these areas.
In fact not a single affordable housing unit has been built in the inner city and surrounds since 1994. Empty promises, empty plots,” the organisation said.
ANC leader in the City, Banele Majingo called on police to work tirelessly in bringing all those who had broken the law, to book.
“This also goes for councillor Booi. If charges are indeed brought against him he must face the full might of the law.
“We also hope this will not negatively impact the already faltering service delivery. The Human Settlements Directorate has a huge backlog; many projects have been put on hold for a number of years.
“Communities have been complaining about non-delivery, while Mayor Hill-Lewis – and his Mayco - keep making empty promises.
“We will continue monitoring everything. Our councillors will be demanding answers in the various committees they serve in,” he said.
Cape Times