25 May 2015
The City of Cape Town said it
is committed to acting against corruption. This has recently one of the City’s
Ombudsman Office was caught abusing his powers to defraud a resident in
Bonteheuwel.
Mayor Spokesperson Zara
Nicholson said a woman was interested in buying a property.
She had been incorrectly
advised that the representative of the Ombudsman’s Office would be able to
assist her. This official claimed that
he could do so for a fee of R1 000.
Nicholson emphasised that after
a while, she had not seen any results and demanded action. He said this could
be delivered for another R200, which she duly paid.
“This official never had any
authority to assist with property transactions. He also had absolutely no right
to charge for any services he may have offered payable directly to him. He took
advantage of a vulnerable resident and abused his relative position of power
for his own ends,” Nicolson added.
She concluded by saying that the
matter was reported to the City and we immediately mandated our Forensic
Services Department to investigate. As soon as the offending official’s actions
were uncovered, criminal charges were laid against him and disciplinary charges
were prepared. The matter was successfully prosecuted and he recently received
a sentence for four years imprisonment.
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