The DA in Gauteng has accused the West Rand District Municipality of hiding a forensic report into more than R80m invested with VBS Mutual Bank. A report on the Iol site notes that the DA’s Scopa member Ina Cilliers made the claim after the municipality denied her access to the forensic report following her party’s formal request through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) on 31 May. The municipality said it was not in a position to accede to the request. The municipality had made the refusal in terms of Section 33 of the PAIA, which obliged the municipality to protect the privacy of third parties in terms of Section 34 (1) of the Act. Cilliers said her party was going to appeal against the municipal decision which cited the Protection of Personal Information Act to deny them access to the forensic report. ‘While the DA is cognisant of the significant role the Act plays in safeguarding the personal information of individuals, we are of the belief that this Act is being abused and used as an escape route to avoid responsibility by those who looted through the illegal investments with VBS Bank,’ Cilliers said.