Note to Editors: Please find English and Afrikaans soundbites by Ald Cilliers Brink here and here
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask Tshwane mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya to disclose the details of interactions between the City of Tshwane and the Embassy of Iran.
This follows a report by News24 about the possible Iranian involvement in the repair and leasing of the Pretoria City Hall, a matter which has never been discussed by the city council.
The DA’s written question about the dealings between Tshwane and the Iranian Embassy will have to be answered at the August meeting of the municipal council.
In photos published on social media a few weeks ago, Tshwane MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morudi is seen taking individuals identified as representatives of the Iranian Embassy on a tour of the dilapidated building.
While the Embassy has denied any involvement with a project involving the City Hall, Mayor Moya’s spokesperson Sam Mgobozi confirmed to News24 that the City was approached by the Embassy.
Damage, requiring repairs of hundreds of millions of rand, was done to the City Hall as part of a botched and irregular refurbishment project under former ANC mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa.
Successive administrations have simply not had the resources to do the necessary repair work, and so we can understand that the City needs funding partnerships.
But whether such a partnership is to include Iran, whose government has a close and direct relationship with the ANC, is a matter that must be debated by the Tshwane City Council.
Allegations about illicit Iranian support for the ANC, which have never been refuted in clear terms, has already tainted South Africa’s international reputation.
Tshwane cannot become embroiled in similar scandal.