By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed police carried out a search and seizure raid at the offices of the City of Cape Town.
It’s understood that the raid was part of the police’s investigation into fraud and corruption.
During the search and seizure operation, which took place late on Wednesday, police took City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for human settlements Malusi Booi’s phone, staff members’ devices, and documents.
However, no arrests were made.
Hill-Lewis said the city was waiting for further information from authorities on the reasons for the raid.
“I have been made aware that the Saps have conducted a search and seizure operation at city offices, including the office of a member of the mayoral committee. This is a matter that I take very seriously indeed.
“At this stage, I am not privy to the reasons for this, and the Saps have not yet briefed me. I have therefore requested the Provincial Commercial Crimes Unit to give me a full briefing on the matter,” Hill-Lewis said in a statement.
The mayor said he also made it clear to Booi that he will “act swiftly and decisively should any substantive information emerge that casts a shadow on the integrity of this government”.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said that detectives attached to the Commercial Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the offices at the Civic Centre.
While Traut could not divulge the details of the operation, he said electronic equipment and documents were confiscated.
In 2020 crime activist Hanif Loonat opened a case against The Construction Company for alleged irregular or fraudulent transactions, worth millions of rands with the City of Cape Town.
It was not clear whether the latest raid was connected to the investigation.