Cape Town - Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, spent his first day back at the office on Monday doing site visits as he planned to catch up on the six months of work he missed.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced Badroodien’s return on Monday after he had stepped down as Mayco member last year pending an investigation into electricity meter tampering at a property he owns in Rylands.
“I have let councillor Badroodien know that I am satisfied that he now resumes his important work as the mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, effective immediately,” Hill-Lewis said.
He further thanked councillor Siseko Mbandezi who had acted in the water and sanitation position.
Hill-Lewis’s announcement came five days after the City Council approved, with mixed reaction, the disciplinary committee’s “unanimous” recommendation that Badroodien receive a formal written warning and refrain from similar conduct in future.
An inquiry cleared Badroodien of charges relating to electricity tampering and Badroodien confirmed that he will not appeal the findings.
The Council meeting was adjourned for a few minutes due to an unhappy ANC who outboasted with songs, disrupting the proceedings.
United Independent Movement (UIM) councillor Albertus de Beer urged Council members to not “push him down” by rejecting the outcomes, but instead support the recommendation of a warning.
However, former MPL, EFF councillor Nosipho Makamba-Botya said they believed the sanction was a “slap on the wrist”.
Badroodien said the recommendations made in the report supported his submissions made to the Speaker six months ago.
“Supporting the fact that I had no involvement in or knowledge of any tampering that took place at the property that I own.
“I accept that as a property owner, it is my responsibility to exercise better diligence over a house that is registered in my name.
“This has been an important learning opportunity for me and I would like to encourage every homeowner to check their meters and make sure that everything is compliant with the necessary by-laws and policies especially when being leased out or under the care of other individuals.
“I am extremely relieved that this difficult period is over. It has been a long six months protecting my integrity against the allegations of tampering,” he said.
Badroodien said it was time to ramp up efforts to ensure that the multi-billion infrastructure budget which was tabled last week by Hill-Lewis was felt and seen by all residents.
Cape Times