Pretoria - Lex Middelberg, the sole councillor of rookie political party Republican Conference of Tshwane in the metro, has shot down allegations that he received a mere 15 votes in last year’s municipal polls to secure a PR council seat.
Former party member Kaizer Moremi, who also vied for the council seat, claimed that Middelberg, a DA councillor in the previous local government term, cheated other party candidates who scored far more votes.
He said one of the candidates, Loraine Steyn, amassed between 600 and 800 votes, suggesting that qualified her to top the party’s PR list.
“Second on the list must be David Ratladi with over 300 to 400 votes.
“Unfortunately, a crook named Lex Middelberg who received less than 15 votes now occupies the seat,” Moremi said.
In reply, Middelberg hit out at Moremi, saying he was a “disgruntled” former “self-serving” member of the party. He dismissed claims that he got 15 votes or fewer as “palpably false”.
“In just one of the wards where I had my name on the list (ward 101), I garnered 97 votes, so that must be added to the votes of all the other wards where my name was on the list.
“Likewise in the ward where Mr Moremi did best, he garnered 66 votes, while the votes in all the other wards where his name was on the ballot as a candidate should be added to that.”
According to a party candidates list submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa, Middelberg’s name was first, followed by Moremi’s, both as mayoral candidate and vice-mayoral candidate, respectively.
Middelberg said: “It should be noted Mr Moremi also accepted the list at the time because, as vice-mayoral candidate, he was second on the list.”
Pretoria News