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Koukamma’s ‘Mafia Mayor’

By

Dear Editor

The DA has laid criminal charges against the mayor of the Koukamma Municipality after it came to light that he is running the municipality like a mafia state.

On Saturday, 10 June 2023, we laid the charges against mayor Fuzile Jan Yake at the Kareedouw Police Station. The charges all relate to incidents that took place after the appointment of Vuka Belele Security in April 2022. The company was awarded a bid to render security services at various sites in the Koukamma Municipality for a period of 36 months. (see pictures here and here)

The DA was provided with a statement from Vuka Belele Security revealing damning details of alleged corruption, extortion, undue influence, sabotage, harassment and intimidation by the mayor. The statement, which was also provided to the police as an annexure, reads like a Hollywood crime script.

It is alleged that Vuka Belele Security was instructed to allow the mayor to make use of its private assets for alleged salacious activities. It is also alleged that Vuka Belele Security was threatened and intimidated to adhere to these instructions if they were to keep their contract.

Vuka Belele Security further asserts that false claims and incidents were manufactured to misdirect and influence their security personnel into protest action and force instability that affected their ability to carry out operational duties. The end goal being to manufacture grounds to terminate the contract.

The contract was eventually terminated without the municipality being able to demonstrate grounds for termination and without consultation with Vuka Belele Security.

On 30 April 2023 the mayor and the speaker, Dadley Maasdorp, allegedly also went to the main municipal building and other municipal sites in Kareedouw to remove Vuka Belele Security guards. This was done in contravention of warnings by the police stating that they had no authority to enact forceful removals.

The mafia state nature of this municipality is also highted by an assault case that was opened against the speaker after an incident on 5 April 2022. During this incident the speaker allegedly deliberately rammed his vehicle through security personnel at the main gate of the municipal building in Kareedouw – severely injuring the Director of Vuka Belele Security, Mr Mandla Matutu. The mayor allegedly tried to influence Mr Matutu to withdraw the case, but he refused and the hearing is now set down for 29 June 2023.

The DA will not allow the people of Koukamma to be held ransom by thugs dressed in suits, masquerading as public representatives. We will continue to expose corruption and unlawful actions that fly in the face of the rule of law.

Regards

Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL
Tsitsi-Kouga Constituency Leader

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