Update
GEORGE NEWS - George DA Councillor Stag Cronjé will, after all, not be losing out on one month's pay check.
Minister of Local Government Anton Bredell did not concur with the finding of the George Council in this regard and has set aside their decision to impose a fine of one month's salary on Stag for breaching the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
Previous article: 'Cleared by Bredell'
Council found Cronjé guilty of non-disclosure of a contract between his son and the municipality. Cronjé appealed this decision to Bredell.
This follows the outcome of an investigation into Cronjé's possible involvement in the Old Mutual Wealth case of 2017. Cronjé was found guilty of breaching the Code of Conduct for Councillors, by not declaring his interest in the matter.
In its response, the department said it provided administrative support to Bredell and after conducting an independent assessment of Cronjé's appeal, advised the minister in this regard.
"I have now been acquitted by the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Auditor-General and in terms of the Code of Conduct for Councillors," said a vindicated Cronjé.
Asked whether he is happy to put it all behind him, Cronjé said, "Of course, we are thankful that this issue that hung over my head for three years and where my child was innocently involved in has now finally been put to bed. We said from day one we are innocent. We asked from day one for an opportunity to speak. If granted, there would never have been an Old Mutual saga. So yes, we are very thankful that it has gone that way now, but the hurt and the humiliation and all that goes with it, are not going to disappear overnight. There were, of course, huge financial losses suffered by me in the process, in terms of legal costs that could have been avoided."
Read more from Cronjé’s statement below:
“From this outrageous original accusation flowed a charge of transgressing the Code of Conduct for Councillors, and the minister’s finding clears me on all charges conjured, caballed, and conspired.
"This finding is in addition to the confirmation by NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila on April 26 that none of the allegations in the docket can be substantiated, and that there is no evidence of any criminal offence, and the NPA therefore declines to prosecute.
"The minister’s finding does me no more than justice and confirms that all the wrongful accusations in this unjust affair are ab initio null and void – I should never have been charged at all.
"I am not surprised by the minister’s finding. I have retained complete trust in the leadership of my party, the DA, and never for a moment considered that ethical leadership and good governance practice might fail.
"I stress that this finding ends some three years of often unbearable stress by the certainty of innocence cruelly ignored even by colleagues.”
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