Speaker, a second DA councillor, Mr David Dewes, is in trouble with the City of Johannesburg after reportedly failing to pay more than R400 000 in rates and taxes owed to the city. The DA councillor has not been paying rates and taxes on several business properties.
According to the finance committee of the ANC in the city, the DA is aware of the councillor's failure to pay his rates and taxes, but is dragging its feet and not taking action against the councillor. It knows that part of the privilege of being a councillor means not having to pay interest on outstanding city accounts for personal property. Mr Dewes, however, is doing this on business properties and his behaviour is unethical.
It was also not too long ago that another DA councillor in Johannesburg, Daniel Netnow, was handed over to city lawyers for failing to pay more than R300 000 in rates and taxes.
The ANC calls for the DA to take immediate action against Mr Dewes. The DA must practise what it preaches. They should be ashamed of the fact that although this matter has been brought to their attention no corrective action has been forthcoming. Even more disturbing is the fact that the DA leader of the council to which these errant councillors, Mr Dewes and Mr Netnow, belong has the far-fetched aspiration of being the Premier of Gauteng after the elections. [Applause.]