Metro’s management held to account for irregular expenditure
Heads of departments and MECs of the Ekurhuleni Metro were in the firing line on Friday, February 20.
They were held to account during the Ekurhuleni Municipal Public Accounts Committee hearing, for the apparently fruitless, wasteful and irregular expenditure incurred in the 2013-14 financial year, under their watch.
Ekurhuleni city manager Khaya Ngema was also in attendance.
The HODs and MECs were called to account regarding the poor audit outcomes that the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA) had found during the financial year 2013/2014.
Even though the Ekurhuleni Metro enjoyed a clean audit in that financial year, certain departments within the metro, like roads, real estate and waste management and finance did not produce a clean audit, as a result of irregular expenditure.
In all, more than 10 metro departments faced questioning during the day-long discussion held in the Boksburg council chamber, where it emerged that some municipal departments are struggling financially.
This is apparently because of management weaknesses, corruption reported and delays in completion of projects.
Ekurhuleni councillors slammed those departments for their poor audit outcomes, adding that there needs to be decisive action when there are incidences of malpractice in departments.
Councillors slammed the Real Estate Department for its poor audit outcome, showing R285 264 in irregular expenditure, apparently caused by its employees’ alleged irregular overtime claims and payments to horticulturists.
It was alleged that, in some instances, some employees claimed overtime money that sometimes exceeded their salaries.
Councillors claimed that some of the department’s employees were, on a regular basis, found sleeping during working hours. Their supervisors were accused of turning a blind eye, apparently because they also sleep on the job.
Irregular expenditure had also generated a sizeable amount of R56 035 753 for the Roads Department.
This was as a result of the department’s apparent failure to follow the Supply Chain Management process in full.
The same department was also questioned for its irregular spending of R55 780 679 that was provided to suppliers without following the required process.
An amount of R25 605 404 was also irregularly spent after the Roads Department issued awards to employee/consultant working for the municipality.
Councillors demanded that management take all reasonable steps to ensure that unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure and other losses are prevented.
They also demanded that disciplinary or, when appropriate, criminal proceedings be instituted against any official or councillor of the municipality who has allegedly committed an act of financial misconduct or failed to follow the correct procedures.
Although the excuses by the departments that failed to finish their jobs on scheduled time due to the cancellation of contracts were accepted, councillors urged management to blacklist those contractors.
A member of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee Vusumuzi Dlamini, said the committee is required, in accordance with Rule 132 (4) of the EMM Council Standing Orders, section 79 Committees, to look at the AG report and invites MMC and CM including HOD to account on matters that the AG office found in the financial year.
