Investigators
submit Preliminary Report on Mkhondo Muncipality
3 September 2009
The team of investigators appointed by the Mpumalanga
Provincial Government, in terms of section 106(1)(b) of the Local Government
Municipal Systems Act 2000 (Act 32 of 2000), to investigate allegations of
maladministration, fraud, corruption, nepotism, poor service delivery, poor
implementation of the IDP and lack of proper consultation in terms of resource
distribution and infrastructure made against the Mkhondo local municipality has
submitted its preliminary report to the Provincial Government.
The report has indicated the following findings
Financial
Mismanagement
The investigation report has revealed that there has been mismanagement of
moneys allocated for projects. There have also been municipal officials found to
have been paid unduly. Such moneys must be recouped and implicated officials
should face disciplinary hearing. Some officials and councillors have been found
to have misused municipal credit cards. The use of credit cards has been
discontinued by the Administrator. There was no policy to deal with credit
cards. The administrator will immediately set up a policy on use of council
credit cards. Disciplinary hearings
will be held against the implicated officials. In most municipalities the use of
credit cards has been long stopped.
Fleet management
The preliminary report has also indicated that there was lack of proper
monitoring and accountability on municipal vehicles, which led to the misuse of
government fleet and wastage of fuel. The Administrator has started putting
systems in place to minimise the abuse of council resources.
Employment of personnel
The findings have indicated that there have been cases where individuals were
employed illegally in breach of the employment procedures. These dubious
appointments will be probed further and individuals found to have been
wrongfully employed will be dealt with severely. The municipality has started
designing new policies and systems that will ensure that all employees and
deployees of the municipality are appointed in a transparent manner based on
their skills and competencies. Nepotism is a punishable offence.
Disciplinary action will commence immediately against all implicated
individuals.
The administrator will be given four months to conclude all outstanding matters
on the investigations, and MEC Norman Mokoena will oversee the process.
The Provincial Government would like to thank the community for
co-operating with the administrator and his team during the period the
municipality has been put under administration.
Enquiries:
Mabutho Sithole
Cell: 082 398 3348
Simphiwe Kunene
Cell: 082 413 3931
Vusi Mashabane
Cell: 076 762 6510
Issued by: Office of the Premier
