DA coalition lays fraud charges against Makwarela

Makwarela ended his brief stint as the city’s first citizen on Friday, tendering his resignation hours after the Chief Registrar of the High Court in Pretoria confirmed that she did not issue his insolvency clearance certificate. 

Makwarela, who is a member of the Congress of the People, was disqualified as a PR councillor earlier this week due to his financial troubles.

He later handed the certificate to the city manager and was subsequently reinstated as mayor.

But on Friday the registrar said the certificate was fake and that the matter has been referred to the Hawks.

The coalition’s chairperson in council Jacqui Uys warned Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi to keep his “grubby hands” off Tshwane. 

The DA, supported by coalition partners Action SA, IFP, ACDP and Freedom Front Plus, laid the charges at the Brooklyn Police Station on Friday. 

“We dispute this certificate, and we dispute that it is a valid certificate. The assets of Makwarela’s estate were still in the gazette in 2022. There’s no reason for a rehabilitated insolvent to have his assets gazetted. There are also questions on the face value of the certificate referring to the “North Court” and then the last matter that has recently surfaced is the clerk of the court that has recently surfaced.” 

A letter signed off from the Office of the Chief Justice rubbished claims that it had issued a clearance certificate to prove that Makwarela is no longer insolvent. 

This while Hawks head George Lebeya said his office had not received any formal complaint from the Office of the Chief Justice. 

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