Johannesburg mayor says council can’t investigate Kenny Kunene after resignation

By vacating office as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport in the City of Johannesburg, Kenny Kunene's dealings cannot be probed by the entity.

However, Kunene is not exonerated from a police investigation or a probe from his own political; party, the Patriotic Alliance.

Kunene was found  in the company of a suspect in a murder investigation, when police made an the arrest recently.

Johannesburg’s Mayor, Dada Morero, confirmed that their city council will not pursue any internal inquiries into Kenny Kunene.

This development follows Kunene's resignation from his role as a councillor and his position as MMC on Saturday.

In an interview with eNCA, Morero clarified the implications of Kunene's resignation, indicating that the council now lacked jurisdiction over him concerning its ethical codes.

“Council works quite differently. He has resigned as a councillor, meaning he’s no longer part of council. And council, therefore, does not have jurisdiction over him in terms of our code of conduct as councillors,” Morero stated.

He further emphasised that the case must be handled by law enforcement and the Patriotic Alliance, which has placed Kunene on suspension pending further investigation.

The resignation comes on the heels of pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA), which had previously called on Mayor Morero to remove Kunene as MMC for Transport.

In a statement released on Saturday, the DA indicated it would still demand a thorough investigation into Kunene’s conduct despite his departure from council, particularly regarding procurement processes at the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC).

DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku remarked, “Should the Executive Mayor fail to respond to the DA within 7 days, the DA will use all avenues at our disposal, including approaching law enforcement with the information available to us, to hold the Executive Mayor as Shareholder representative himself responsible for the alleged irregularities at JRA and MTC.”

In response to the DA’s request for investigations, Morero confirmed he received their correspondence. However, he noted that it likely arrived before Kunene’s resignation.

“They know the law. They know the code of conduct of councillors,” he stated, reassuring the public that his office would respond formally to the DA’s demands.

As the city works to fill the vacant MMC for Transport position, Morero indicated that discussions were ongoing and a formal announcement would be made soon.

He also addressed delays in the critical Bree Street refurbishment project that arose during Kunene’s tenure, attributing them to issues with the initial contractor's performance and cash flow problems.

The mayor assured residents that the project remains on track for completion, with the new contractor committed to finishing work by the end of August.

Morero acknowledged previous setbacks, offering his apologies to the residents, but reiterated that the city was focused on progressing as planned, with further enhancements like road widening, pavement addition, and creating a pedestrian-friendly environment scheduled for the project's second phase over the coming year.

DAILY NEWS