NMB mayor-elect taken to task over Metro security head comments

Lawyers representing controversial Nelson Mandela Bay Safety and Security Head, Linda Mti, have reportedly warned Democratic Alliance (DA) mayoral candidate Athol Trollip that they would not hesitate in taking legal action if he continues to make “insulting remarks about our client”.

According to News24, lawyer James Ndebele allegedly send two letters to Trollip on Tuesday, informing him that he should refrain from making“wrongful and defamatory” claims about Mti, which has caused “considerable damage to his dignity and reputation” or face going court.

“You have brazenly and recklessly undermined the fundamental constitutional and democratic principle that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” an extract from Ndebele’s letter read.

Mti, who was appointed to the position in April this year by outgoing Executive Mayor Danny Jordaan, had been involved a war of words with Trollip after it was revealed that he was facing fraud and corruption charges to the tune of R1-billion, as well as two charges of drunk driving in 1992 and 2005.

“It is beyond comprehension that the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay would see fit to appoint an individual with a criminal record, who is also implicated in a multi-billion rand fraud scandal, to head up an entire metro safety and security directorate,” Trollip said in a statement a week after Mti’s appointment.

In June, Trollip, along with the party’s Chief Whip John Steenhuisen, laid three charges of fraud and two of corruption against Mti at a police station in Uitenhage, after obtaining a 95-page Special Investigation Unit (SIU) from 2009, which showed that Mti, then commissioner for the Department of Correctional Services, unduly benefitted from a tender awarded by Bosasa Management in 2009 with the funds being used to build him a mansion in Midrand and getting a brand new Volkswagen Touareg for influencing tenders.

The party also claimed that the report was handed over to then Correctional Service Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, with no subsequent action being taken. The findings revealed that “improper and corrupt” activities took place between department officials and Bosasa whose CEO had reported links with the African National Congress (ANC).

A letter of demands to investigate Mti was then send to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Head Shaun Abrahams, who later stated in a letter that the matter was ongoing and that no action could be taken against him until the inquiry had been finalised.

Addressing the media on Saturday after the DA’s 46.71% to 40.92% win over the ANC in the local government elections, Trollip, when asked about Mti’s future, said,” It looks very bleak… He might get a job in another ANC city but not in this city”.