The Kimberley Prospector

SPRINGBOK – The Northern Cape MEC for COGHSTA, Bently Vass, has been lambasted by COPE for appointing his family relation to the position of Director in the Springbok Office of the Department. The party has also accused the MEC of appointing a serving ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) member to the same position.

COPE CNC member Pakes Dikgetsi said in a statement that the appointment of Roger Swart as the Namakwa District Director has been met with “shock and anger” at the “blatant abuse of power” by the MEC.

“The other applicants are rightfully dissatisfied with the situation and intend to approach investigative authorities for remedy,” Dikgetsi said.

Dikgetsi said that the relationship between Vass and Swart was not disclosed during the interview process and that the MEC had placed himself in a conflict of interest.

“Even worse is that Swart misrepresented his managerial experience, which was required to be six years at the senior management level in local government,” Dikgetsi said.

“The information in his CV was written to mislead the panel. Swart presented his 2011-2016 ordinary councillor term and his 2016 -2021 term as Hantam Municipal Mayor as though he was in the management echelons of a municipality.”

Dikgetsi said that Swart was a politician and did not have the required management experience, which was one of the criteria for the position.

“The interview panel did not do thorough due diligence, which may indicate a job designed for the family relation and ANC cadre,” Dikgetsi said.

Dikgetsi said that Swart is the same person who was found by the Public Protector to have abused municipal funds to attend the ANC Conference in 2017.

“The Public Protector ordered that the MEC take appropriate remedial actions. The MEC and the municipality never implemented the remedial actions as directed by the Public Protector, and he is now rewarding his family relations and comrade with a plum job in his department,” Dikgetsi said.

Dikgetsi said that municipalities in the Northern Cape are in a “dire situation” and that service delivery to residents is at its “poorest” because of a lack of professionalism, maladministration, and bad governance.

“The controversy is not isolated but widespread. It is aided and abetted by the MEC, who ought to be the custodian of the laws of the Republic,” Dikgetsi said.

COPE has demanded that the MEC rescind the appointment of Swart. The party has also said that it will report the matter to the Public Protector for an investigation.