The African National Congress (ANC) is demanding that the City of Cape Town’s Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) be opened to the public, arguing that residents need to see for themselves the “rot” within the DA-run municipality.
The call comes as the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed its Commercial Crimes Unit is investigating individuals and entities linked to city contracts valued at approximately R1.6 billion.
In a virtual interview, ANC Regional Chairperson and Leader of the Opposition in Cape Town, Ndithini Tyhido, asserted that transparency in the oversight process is urgently needed. “We take a view as the ANC that if anyone opens up the Municipal Public Accounts Committee to the public and the residents of Cape Town, they will get to hear for themselves what kind of rot is hidden in the city of Cape Town,” Tyhido stated.
When asked about the scope of the problem highlighted by the police probe, Tyhido claimed it was “just the tip of the iceberg.” He referenced a previous, unrelated police raid targeting senior city officials, including Mr. JP Smith and Mr. Ian Neilson, which a court later ruled unlawful. Despite that ruling, Tyhido maintained that the initial police interest was evidence of underlying issues.
“This is a multiplicity of contracts that are found to have been corrupted or monies that have been siphoned through corrupt means,” he said. “Capetonians have still a lot more to see on how rotten the DA run municipality is in the city of Cape Town.”
Tyhido positioned the call for open meetings as a direct challenge to the city’s governance. He accused the DA of investing “heavily on social media and PR exercises with an intention to mask its underhandedness.”
“The reason we are calling for opening up of the municipal public accounts committee is for the public to sit there and listen to what is there and who says what on their behalf,” he explained.
Addressing potential criticisms that such a move could become political theater, especially with upcoming elections, Tyhido deflected by pointing to the police investigation. “It’s not what the ANC is saying; it’s what the police are investigating independent of anybody,” he argued.
He also dismissed questions about the ANC’s own credibility on corruption, given its track record in other municipalities, calling it a “smoke screen.” Tyhido stated his focus was solely on Cape Town, which has been under DA leadership for nearly two decades.
Regarding the practicalities of opening the committee, Tyhido clarified that the ANC is not seeking public participation, but public observation. “We are saying let the public come in and observe their public representative taking accountability and being transparent about how the business of the municipality is being conducted,” he said.
The remarks from the opposition leader underscore growing political tensions in the city as a major police investigation into municipal contracts unfolds, raising significant questions about oversight and the stewardship of public funds.
