Nelson Mandela Bay deputy mayor Khusta Jack was caught in the crossfire on Tuesday when ANC councillors called for his resignation.
Jack’s critics alleged that he had failed to declare his business interests and that companies registered in his name did work for the municipality.
But during a heated debate at a council meeting at the Feather Market Centre on Tuesday, Jack said he had, in fact, declared his business interests in 2021, and informed the city manager in December last year when he became aware that one of his companies had done work for the city.
ANC councillor Gamalihleli Maqula had earlier alleged that Jack opened a manganese business in 2020 and had failed to declare his interest.
Maqula said Jack opened the company for financial benefit while the country was in a state of disaster and under lockdown.
“He was preaching integrity just now, and wants us to hide his shenanigans,” Maqula alleged.
Jack, meanwhile, said he had declared that his company Yonke Installation had done work for the metro.
He had made the declaration in writing to city manager Noxolo Nqwazi late in 2022.
In a letter dated December 10, Jack informed Nqwazi that the company had been awarded an informal tender that did not exceed R200,000 to carry out emergency repairs on the Bay’s fibreoptic network.
Jack wrote that in terms of the Municipal Systems Act he was duty-bound to make the disclosure.
Representatives of several parties in the coalition that governs the Bay rallied around Jack, insisting the matter be debated behind closed doors.
Mayor Retief Odendaal said discussions on financial declarations should be held during a closed session and be confidential.
But eager for an open debate, Maqula said the matter was already open to public scrutiny.
However, council speaker Gary van Niekerk ruled the issue would be discussed during a closed session.
Speaking to The Herald outside the chamber, Jack said Yonke Installation would sometimes be allocated work by the city to install fibre.
“I guess [in] about 2021 after we were elected they gave the company a piece of work, but I did not know that,” he said.
“When I discovered that I immediately told the mayor and brought all documents to the council,” he said.
“I have business in manganese but that has nothing to do with the municipality, and in the first quarter of 2021 I declared all my companies,” he said.
Nqwazi proposed that the matter be taken under investigation.
“We don’t have a full set of facts except for the declaration,” she said.
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