The mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality, Sipho Radebe, has shot down claims that the MMC of Finance, Hassan Mako, who is also the ANC regional treasurer for the Sedibeng region, has been arrested.
Radebe said he had noted with serious concern and unequivocal disapproval the circulation of false, misleading, and defamatory allegations on social media platforms pertaining to the purported arrest of Mako.
‘Smear campaign’
“It has come to the attention of the executive mayor that certain anonymous individuals have embarked upon a smear campaign, maliciously alleging that Councillor Mako has been arrested in connection with the so-called ‘R16 million fleet matter’.
“Furthermore, a photograph currently in circulation has been deliberately misrepresented to suggest that Councillor Mako is a fleet manager within the municipality and has been apprehended in that capacity. These allegations are entirely false, baseless, and devoid of any factual or legal foundation,” said Radebe.
He added that for the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted and boldly stated that Mako is not arrested and is neither a suspect nor a person of interest in relation to the forensic investigation concerning fleet management matter.
Radebe said that he had personally engaged with Mako, who has confirmed that he has not been arrested in connection with this matter or any other matter.
PKTT arrest
Claims of the arrest of Mako come after it had emerged that members of the political killings task team had arrested one of the senior employee at Emfuleni fleet department in connection with allegations of corruption involving R16-million siphoned from the municipality over ‘ghost fleet’ that was allegedly bought by Emfuleni.
In the process of the scandal that has rocked the municipality, a financial official at Emfuleni, Martha Mani Rantsofu, was murdered in what seemed to be a hit when she was shot several times in the execution-style shooting captured on video at a trye shop in Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal area.
Mako earlier this month publicly called for justice following the murder of Rantsofu, where he called for the police to make swift action in arresting those responsible for her killing.
Mako says arrest claims ‘reckless and malicious
On Tuesday Mako told Sunday World that it was disturbing and reckless for people to make such wild claims that he was arrested while he was not.
“This is reckless and malicious for people to make such wild allegations that I am arrested. I am not arrested and I am continuing doing my job as mandated to. As I have said it before, those responsible for defrauding Emfuleni and those who murdered my colleague will be brought to book and account for their crimes. I am not taking these claims of my alleged arrest lightly because such have the potential of making me a target due to what is happening in the country, where people are being murdered every day. I am consulting my lawyers to deal with those making claims about me,” said Mako.
Apart from Mako’s calls for the immediate arrest of the senseless killer and those who had allegedly hired him to carry out the attack, the Emfuleni municipal manager, April Ntuli, also said that the municipality was confident that the police would arrest the suspect behind the murder of Rantsofu.
Dissemination of false information condemned
Radebe said, when referring to the alleged arrest of Mako, that the dissemination of false information is not only undermining the integrity of public institutions but may also constitute actionable defamation under South African law.
“Moreover, such reckless conduct has the potential to endanger the safety and reputation of public representatives and officials. The public is urged to refrain from sharing unverified information and to respect the integrity of lawful processes as envisaged under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” said Radebe.
He also strongly condemned irresponsible actions peddled by those who claim that Mako has been arrested and appealed for calm, sobriety and respect for the rule of law to prevail at all material times.
Radebe also made a call to the members of the public, particularly residents of the Emfuleni region, to exercise restraint, responsibility, and discernment in their use of social media platforms.
- Emfuleni mayor Sipho Radebe refutes claims that ANC regional treasurer and MMC of Finance, Hassan Mako, was arrested related to the R16 million fleet corruption investigation, calling such reports false and defamatory.
- A senior employee in Emfuleni's fleet department was arrested by the political killings task team amid allegations of corruption involving ghost fleet purchases; Mako is not implicated.
- The scandal is linked to the murder of Emfuleni financial official Martha Mani Rantsofu in an execution-style shooting, which Mako has publicly condemned, demanding swift justice.
- Mako labeled the arrest rumors as reckless and malicious, stating he is continuing his official duties and is consulting lawyers to address the false allegations.
- Mayor Radebe condemned the spread of false information as damaging to public institutions and officials' safety and urged the public to avoid sharing unverified claims and respect legal processes.
Radebe said he had noted with serious concern and unequivocal disapproval the circulation of false, misleading, and defamatory allegations on social media platforms pertaining to the purported arrest of Mako.
“It has come to the attention of the executive mayor that certain anonymous individuals have embarked upon a smear campaign, maliciously alleging that Councillor Mako has been arrested in connection with the so-called ‘R16 million fleet matter’.
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He added that for the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted and boldly stated that Mako is not arrested and is neither a suspect nor a person of interest in relation to the forensic investigation concerning fleet management matter.
Radebe said that he had personally engaged with Mako, who has confirmed that he has not been arrested in connection with this matter or any other matter.
Claims of the arrest of Mako come after it had emerged that members of the political killings task team had arrested one of the senior employee at Emfuleni fleet department in connection with allegations of corruption involving R16-million siphoned from the municipality over ‘ghost fleet’ that was allegedly bought by Emfuleni.
In the process of the scandal that has rocked the municipality, a financial official at Emfuleni,
Mako earlier this month publicly called for justice following the murder of Rantsofu, where he called for the police to make swift action in arresting those responsible for her killing.
On Tuesday Mako told
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Apart from Mako’s calls for the immediate arrest of the senseless killer and those who had allegedly hired him to carry out the attack, the Emfuleni municipal manager, April Ntuli, also said that the municipality was confident that the police would arrest the suspect behind the murder of Rantsofu.
Radebe said, when referring to the alleged arrest of Mako, that the dissemination of false information is not only undermining the integrity of public institutions but may also constitute actionable defamation under
“Moreover, such reckless conduct has the potential to endanger the safety and reputation of public representatives and officials.
He also strongly condemned irresponsible actions peddled by those who claim that Mako has been arrested and appealed for calm, sobriety and respect for the rule of law to prevail at all material times.
Radebe also made a call to the members of the public, particularly residents of the Emfuleni region, to exercise restraint, responsibility, and discernment in their use of social media platforms.
