STATEMENT BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD MEMBER OF THE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL
23 July 2020
DA CAPTURES AIRPORT RENT AND LANDING FEES IN OUDTSHOORN
Millions or Rands in revenue being held in secret trust account
The DA’s new mayor of Oudtshoorn Chris MacPherson has been recorded briefing a member of the Council’s audit committee about an illegal scheme channelling “Millions of Rands” in rental and landing fees generated by the town’s airport to a secret trust account instead of to the municipality.
According to MacPherson, the scheme was originally introduced many years ago to avoid the revenue being paid to the then-ANC led municipality. The DA took control of the town in 2013, but no funds have been returned to the municipality.
Besides its other commercial activities, the airport has been used by a Chinese flight school to train thousands of commercial pilots for China.
The withholding of fees and rentals due to the municipality is unlawful. The DA must tell South Africans where the fees are being held, how much is in the so-called trust account, who audits the account – and pay back the money.
In the meantime I will write to the Auditor-General, who just gave the town an unqualified audit, to request an investigation.
A disturbing pattern of small town capture involving abuses of power by members of the Provincial Executive continues to emerge. The project has also targeted George and Knysna.
Two weeks ago, GOOD requested the Public Protector to investigate the MEC for Local Government Anton Bredell and Premier Alan Winde for breaches of the executive ethics code. These complaints related to governance issues in Oudtshoorn, and blatant attempts to manipulate the municipality without following the rule of law.
Thankfully, DA members have a habit of recording their secret plotting.
A recording of Bredell suggesting that Oudtshoorn councillors place administration of the town in the province’s hands, while retaining their salaries, recently came to light.
Now, in the latest recording, MacPherson, previously the DA Speaker in the Oudtshoorn council, corroborates allegations that the town has effectively been robbed of the lucrative airport rental and landing fees.
A key policy imperative of the GOOD Party is that public land must be used for public good. Land belonging to government, such as Oudtshoorn Airport, actually belongs to the South African people.
ENDS…
A copy of the recording and a transcript is available.