Riyaz Patel
The DA’s Finance Committee says its investigation into their party’s leader has found no “financial illegality on behalf of Mr Maimane as it pertains to both the house and the car.”
The party’s finance committee said it initiated an investigation at Maimane’s request after he was accused of having insisted on using a Steinhoff-sponsored car, via its Hertz subsidiary, even after the company’s fraud scandal was exposed.
There were also claims that he wasn’t paying a market-related lease for the house he currently stays in.
“I formally met with Mr Maimane on Monday 30 September and Friday 4 October. In said meeting, Mr Maimane produced the relevant facts required – supported by documentation,” said Federal Finance Chairperson Dion George.
As it relates to the vehicle, he said, Maimane did enjoy the use of a Toyota Fortuner in the Western Cape, donated to the party by Steinhoff via their subsidiary, Hertz.
After the Steinhoff scandal broke, the car was returned, George said.
He added there was a delay due in part to Maimane’s trip to the USA and a DA Federal Congress convening in Gauteng.
Regarding Maimane’s home, the party’s finance chair said their investigation found that no formal lease document exists.
However, Maimane is said to have “paid rent covering each month he and his family have lived in the house.”
George said he had seen the accounts of the business which owns the house, and followed the financial trail which, he said, showed:
– An initial deposit of R450 000 was made by Maimane;
– From April 2018, R18 400 per month was deducted as rental;
– The current balance is R100 540;
– The utility bill payments are made separately by Maimane in
addition to this rental amount.
For some netizen’s though, the numbers just don’t add up.
George said neither Maimane, nor his trust, own shares in the business and the house and that the DA leader had indicated that the arrangement was a lease agreement and which the financial trail confirms.
“Therefore I am satisfied that there exists no financial illegality on behalf of Mr Maimane as it pertains to both the house and the car,” said the DA Federal Finance Chairperson
