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The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Johannesburg Mayor, Geoff Makhubo, to urgently institute an independent investigation into the Economic Development Department in the City of Johannesburg, which is being led by the Patriotic Alliance (PA), after allegations of serious malpractice.

The PA is in a coalition government with the African National Congress (ANC), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Congress of the People (COPE) and Al Jama-ah and the African Independent Congress (AIC) and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the City.

It is alleged that the department's former Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Lloyd Phillips has been on a spree of purging senior executives from the City's entities including the Joburg Property Company, Joburg Market, and the Metropolitan Trading Company, which have a combined value of more than R2 billion rand, and appointing allies in their place.

Hot on the heels of this allegation, Phillips, was ousted by his party on Facebook on Tuesday in a shock announcement while he was sitting in council.

In the DA’s view, his subsequent replacement with another PA cadre is meaningless, as this merely replaces one corrupt individual with another, when Phillips should have been made to face the consequences of his actions.

Phillips’ alleged corruption reportedly took place under Mayor Makhubo's watch and cannot be allowed to continue.

This is a further indication that the ANC and PA coalition of looters cannot be trusted with taxpayers money.

The DA will be communicating with its Caucus in Johannesburg to take this matter up with the ethics committee and ask it to initiate an independent investigation into this alleged corruptive activity.

Issued by DA