Cape Town - An independent initiator has been appointed in the disciplinary hearing against former water and sanitation Mayco member, Zahid Badroodien.
According to a source in the disciplinary committee, the hearing, which is closed to the public, was officially held on Wednesday.
The case was presented by the initiator and the first three witnesses testified against Badroodien.
“Councillor Zahid Badroodien faces three charges: breach of Cape Town electricity supply by law; breach of code of conduct for councillors; and, gross misconduct of the breach of code of conduct for councillors,” according to the initiator.
The matter was postponed and the next appearance is expected to be on November 21 and 22, where Badroodien and his witnesses are expected to testify.
Responding to the matter on Thursday, Badroodien said: “Yes I’m aware of the three allegations. I received a letter from the City lawyers and on Wednesday they were presented (to) me and the disciplinary committee.
The hearing took the whole day since it was day 1.
“My residents and colleagues have been very supportive and I’m grateful for all the well wishes.
“This has been a very difficult and embarrassing time for me because I have worked extremely hard for six years. This takes away all of that,” he said. The councillor faces allegations that he tampered with an electricity meter at a property he owns.
Badroodien requested that he be allowed to step down from his mayco member position until his disciplinary hearing was finalised.
However he remains an active ward 48 councillor.
Five parties are represented in the Section 79 disciplinary committee that is made up of seven members from the DA.
The position of the seventh member is still vacant after Councillor Nora Grose recused herself from the disciplinary committee.
Two members are from the ANC, while the EFF, Good Party and the Cape Coloured Congress (CCC) party each have one member.
Last month a brief start to the hearing was held, where the legal adviser supporting the panel chaired by councillor Ian Neilson, responded to various questions from the committee members seeking clarity in terms of the disciplinary process.
According to a document to the committee dated November 3, members of the disciplinary committee noted the alleged contravention referred by the City council Speaker Felicity Purchase, on reasonable suspicion that there had been a breach of the Code of Conduct for councillors by Badroodien.
It was noted that Purchase had requested legal services to appoint an independent initiator who would be leading evidence as to the charges to prove it on a balance of probability during a disciplinary hearing. The date is to be determined by the committee.
Cape Times