ZEERUST - Former City of Johannesburg Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse, has come out to confirm allegations that monies were paid to City councillors to remove her from office.
The allegations were made by DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, on Monday.
Zille alleged that smaller parties were bribed to bring a motion of no confidence against Phalatse. She was subsequently removed from her position as the City's mayor in 2023.
Phalatse said her removal was after she opened a case against the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) in October 2022 at the Hillbrow Police Station.
"This was based on whistleblower reports," said Phalatse.
"I also issued a detailed statement detailing exactly how this transaction between the JPC and the said company was corrupt," she said.
Phalatse went on to say that when she asked questions of the JPC, she never received answers.
READ: DA alleges smaller parties bribed to vote out Mpho Phalatse
"In fact, when I was ousted, the JPC board was, at the time, in the process of removing the CEO over these allegations," she said.
However, after Phalatse was out of council, the JPC reversed its decision to remove the CEO.
Zille alleged that R2.2 million was set aside to refurbish Proton House after saying that the amount was insufficient.
Another quantity surveyor was brought in and the amount went up to R20 million. According to Zille, this needed to be siphoned to councilors to have Phalatse removed.
Phalatse was ousted in a motion of no confidence in 2023. The vote was brought by African Transformation Movement (ATM) councillor Lubabalo Magwentshu, who argued Phalatse had failed to deliver services to the poor and marginalised people of Johannesburg.
A total of 140 councillors voted in favour of the motion to have Phalatse removed, while 129 voted against it.
Among the parties that voted in favour were the ANC, EFF, Patriotic Alliance (PA), Al Jama-ah and ATM. Those who voted against included ActionSA, the DA, ACDP and FF Plus.
Without mentioning the political parties that pocketed the alleged bribe, Zille singled out ActionSA as the only party that did not partake in the alleged corruption.