LOUIS TRICHARDT – Mr Reuben Rambado, Municipal Manager of the Makhado Municipality, this week said that he would launch an investigation into the alleged misconduct of ANC Ward Councillor, Cllr Amie Chhaya.

The investigation stems from an incident earlier this month when Cllr Chhaya allegedly instructed municipal workers to use unprescribed paving blocks on his sidewalk in front of his home in Eltivillas, instead of the prescribed 450mm x 450mm blocks. If indeed the case, Mr Chhaya's action may be seen as a breach of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act's Code of Conduct. According to this code, no councillor may give or purport to give any instruction to any municipal employee except when authorised to do so. A councillor may also not use, take, acquire of benefit from any property or asset owned, controlled or managed by the municipality to which that councillor has no right. The paving blocks were since then removed.

Apart from the paving blocks, several residents at first questioned the fact that municipal workers were working at Cllr Chhaya's home. It was, however, later confirmed that the municipal workers were in fact instructed by the Council's Engineers Department to pave several streets in Eltivillas to make it safer for residents and children returning from school. No instruction was, however, given to use the smaller paving blocks at Cllr Chhaya's house.

Residents were especially suspicious about the fact that municipal workers started working at the residence of the councillor and regarded it as too much of a coincidence.

Cllr Chhaya last week denied any knowledge of the incident and added that he was not even home when the paving was done. He also denied instructing municipal workers to deviate from the prescribed paving blocks and said that on his return home there was no sign of any paving.

On Tuesday, Mr Rambado called in Mr Lynn Sahli (Head of the Civil Engineers Department) and Mr Johan Prinsloo from the same department to explain what happened at Cllr Chhaya's house.

According to Mr Prinsloo he went to Cllr Chhaya's house, shortly after receiving complaints from members of the public. On his arrival he saw that the wrong paving bricks had been used and instructed the work team to remove it. On his return later the afternoon, Mr Prinsloo said, he saw that the paving bricks had still not been removed. The work team had since then left Cllr Chhaya's house.

Mr Prinsloo further stated that after enquiring why the paving bricks were not removed, he was informed by the work team that they were instructed by Cllr Chhaya to not remove the paving blocks, as he will "sort out" the problem. This despite the fact that Cllr Chhaya claims that he had no knowledge of the incident. Mr Prinsloo then ordered the work team to go back to Cllr Chhaya's house and remove the paving blocks, which they then did.

After hearing Mr Prinsloo's explanation of the events, Mr Rambado said that he views the incident in a very serious light. He strongly condemned actions of any councillor who make themselves guilty of misconduct. He also instructed Mr Sahli to hand in a full report on the incident within the next week and added that he will also immediately instruct Cllr Chhaya to hand in a written report.