DA councillor in court for fraud and money laundering

DA TABLE View ward councillor Nora Grose has appeared in the Atlantis Magistrate’s court on charges of fraud and money laundering.

She allegedly facilitated the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) funding along with a chairperson of a NGO called the South African Religious Civic Organisation.

Those funds were allegedly used for personal gain, according to the Hawks.

Grose handed herself over to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team at the Atlantis SAPS Community Centre before her court appearance yesterday.

“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,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.

She said the humanitarian funds valued at R170 000 meant for the distribution of food parcels in Atlantis were reportedly funnelled to a church in Table view with links to some city officials.

The ANC has called on Grose to step down immediately

“We want answers urgently on the matter which we believe allegedly pertains to Covid-19 Relief Funds. We also want to know what steps have been taken to hold implicated parties to account. These relief funds were meant for the poor and we are aggrieved by these allegations.

“We also want to appeal to the Hawks to pay special attention to the Mayor’s Relief Fund where millions of rand were used as a slush fund to pay for donations of soup kitchens and food parcels to organisations chosen by Dan Plato,” said ANC caucus spokesperson Fiona Abrahams.