A DA councillor and the party’s regional youth leader in Southern Cape has been drawing a transport allowance from the municipality though he does not have a valid driver’s licence, a precondition for receiving such an allowance.
This emerged when Tertius Simmers, 30, was arrested outside the council’s offices on the picturesque Garden Route town of George for failing to produce a driver’s license when stopped by traffic officers.
The ANC is now baying for his blood and is demanding a full investigation into how Simmers was allowed to claim as much as 25% of his total remuneration as a travel allowance when he does not have a driver’s licence.
His arrest has now thrown into question the Eden District municipality’s internal systems, with council speaker Doris Nayler acknowledging that councillors were being paid a transport allowance each month, even those not in possession of driver’s licences.
Simmers admitted that he did not have a driver’s licence .
He said he was simply being reimbursed for the use of his vehicle for council duties.
