A DA councillor has ended up in the mang after she was busted for siphoning R170 000 in Covid-19 relief funds from the City of Cape Town meant to provide food parcels for Atlantis residents.
Nora Grose from Melkbosstrand handed herself over to the Hawks yesterday morning and made her first appearance in the Atlantis Magistrates’ Court where she faces fraud and money laundering charges.
Hours before the 64-year-old’s appearance, a video showing her arrival at Atlantis Police Station which was taken by members of the Cape Coloured Congress went viral on chat groups.
Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, says Grose allegedly facilitated the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) funding along with chairperson of a NGO called the South African Religious Civic Organisation (SARCO) and the funds were allegedly used for personal gain.
“It is further alleged that she again colluded with Reuben Swartz, the chairperson of the same NGO, to siphon relief funds from the City of Cape Town.
“The humanitarian funds valued at R170 000 were meant for the distribution of food parcels in Atlantis were reportedly funnelled to a church in Table view with links to some City officials.”
Hani says Swartz was arrested in December 2020 on similar charges and released on R10 000 bail.
He is expected to appear at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court again today.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says Grose was granted R10 000 bail and instructions by the Magistrate are that she must not interfere with the investigation or witnesses.
The case was postponed to 25 June for further investigation.
Mayor Dan Plato says they are working with authorities to recover the unspent grant funding that was transferred from an Atlantis-based NGO to the church.
“The City’s legal services department has been working with authorities for some time. They advise me that, based on the information available to the City, this is not a criminal matter and that records show the funds went towards the intended purpose of food relief,” he says.
“All allegations regarding malpractice by a City Councillor were investigated by the City of Cape Town’s Office of the Speaker and no malpractice was found. I have no doubt the authorities will continue to receive the full cooperation of our officials.
DA Constituency head for Durbanville and Blaauwberg, Emma Powell, claims misinformation is being spread on social media around the arrest of Grose.
“It must be stated upfront that in availing herself to be formally charged, the Councillor did not plead to any charges,” she said.
“As the Councillor and the City's legal team have not been provided with the case docket by the Hawks, we are unable to comment on the veracity or the merits of the charges.
“The investigation currently underway by the Hawks is multi-faceted and concerns a case of TERS fraud allegedly committed by an ex-DA member, as well as the procedural processes that were followed in the distribution of Covid relief grant funding.
“Sadly, there seems to be a deliberate attempt from certain quarters to sub-join and conflate what are clearly two separate matters.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za