The police said they charged him with fraud and corruption.
Amersfoort ANC councillor Obed Shabangu has been arrested a day after celebrating the 16th December holiday and charged with fraud and corruption.
Shabangu, who was elected the chief whip of the Pixley ka Seme local municipality, is accused of selling RDP houses.
He was arrested by Amersfoort cops on the morning of 18 December 2018.
The EFF in the area laid the charges against Shabangu.
He made a brief appearance at the Amersfoort Magistrates Court, south of Ermelo, and was charged with fraud and corruption.
His matter was postponed to today (20 Dec 2018) for formal bail application.
The police say the case was opened by the EFF in November 2017 and “he was being investigated all along”.
“We arrested the suspect Tuesday morning this week and he had a brief appearance later on that day. His case was postponed to Thursday,” police spokesman Constable Thuli Zwane said Wednesday this week.
The EFF said more than 10 RDP houses were sold to people who were not on the list of beneficiaries.
013NEWS has learnt that each RDP home – which cost government over R100 000 to build – was allegedly sold by Shabangu for R3000.
EFF councillor Thulani Manana said his party decided to approach the cops after people began coming forward about the surge in housing corruption.
“People were coming to us with their grievances,” Manana said Wednesday this week.
“We then started to investigate via the municipality and housing department and we were shocked, then we opened the case,” he said.
“More than 10 RDP houses were sold but we managed to get 3 witnesses,” said Manana.
Also a charge of theft has been added, the police said.
(edited by MLM)
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