Missing names of BCM councillors in financial declaration list due to ‘error’

The provincial government has called for disciplinary action against Buffalo City Metro councillors who have not declared their financial interests.

Their names are contained in a list included in the city’s 2022/2023 annual report tabled during a virtual council meeting on January 26.

However, while 24 councillors’ names do not appear on the list, the city has clarified that their names were erroneously omitted.

BCM has 50 ward councillors and 50 proportional representation councillors.

According to the code of conduct for councillors in the Municipal Structures Act, a councillor must, within 60 days of being elected, declare in writing to the municipal manager their shares and securities in any company, membership of any close corporation, interest in any trust, directorships, partnerships, financial interests in any business undertaking, employment and remuneration, interest in property, pension and subsidies, grants and sponsorships by any organisation.

Municipal managers and the heads of the directorates, known as section 56 managers, are also obliged to declare their financial interests to the speaker within 60 days of their appointment.

According to the list, mayor Princess Faku had “nothing declared” under her name.

Her spokesperson, Bongani Fuzile, said: “The executive mayor of BCM had nothing to declare [because] where she is staying is her private residence, it’s not a sponsored place.

“Also, there were no gifts that she had to declare to the council because she received none.” 

Former mayor Xola Pakati declared that he was the deputy president of Salga and chair of the SA Cities Network.

Council speaker Humphrey Maxegwana declared he was a non-executive director of the Office of the Premier’s Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council and that he had shares in a public company.

Maxegwana said he owned two residential properties and received a gift from MultiChoice.

The DA leader in BCM, Sue Bentley, declared she had two residential properties.

The name of EFF leader in BCM, Mziyanda Hlekiso, does not appear on the list.

Hlekiso said: “I submitted my declaration form via email on the last day that the forms were required.

“The official tasked with processing our documents only came back to me after five days for confirmation.

“That my name does not appear is an error on the part of the official,” Hlekiso said.

DA councillor Geoff Walton, whose name also does not appear on the list, said: “I saw my name was missing when I quickly looked through the report.

“I have no idea why, but chose not to deal with it in council as the right time is at the MPAC engagements.

“I had submitted my declarations — more than once if I recall.

“It goes to the accuracy of reporting as my name should reflect with whatever notation as to declaration or no declaration,” Walton said.

DA councillor Dinesh Vallabh declared he was a professor at Walter Sisulu University and an owner and partner of four residential properties, among other things.

ANC councillor Kuhle Ciliza declared she was a member of the Ciliza Foundation.

ANC councillor Helen Neale-May declared she was a member of the Gonubie Rotary Club and Gonubie Community Police Forum, among other things.

EFF councillor Songezo Nkungwini declared a gift he received from a farming project.

Freedom Front+ councillor Anne Theron declared she owned a residential property.

ACDP councillor Andries Bernado said he had shares in two companies.

Suspended ANC councillor Pumezo Jaxa did not declare anything.

City manager Mxolisi Yawa declared he owned a property company, among other things.

Head of economic development Noludwe Ncokazi has directorships at three state-owned companies, with no remuneration, while CFO Ntsikelelo Sigcau has shares at two companies.

Cogta MEC Zolile Williams’ spokesperson, Pheello Oliphant, said councillors were obliged to declare their financial interests annually and not doing so constituted financial misconduct.

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