The probe into allegations of corruption at Lesedi Local Municipality (LLM) was concluded on March 29 and according to our sources, at least six top officials are likely to be arrested by the end of this week.
In 2017 it was revealed that more than R40-million of public funds was misappropriated my LLM officials. This prompted the then President Jacob Zuma to instruct the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to do a full audit of the municipality.
The SIU was tasked to investigate the procurement of, or contracting of goods, work or services by or on behalf of the municipality and payments made in respect thereof in a manner that was not fair, transparent, equitable and contrary to applicable legislation.
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During the investigation the SIU looked into these unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditures incurred by LLM in respect of refuse removal services, the supply and delivery of fuel, an automated time and attendance system and organisational re-engineering related service.
The unit worked 24 hour shifts for more than two years and are said to have uncovered only 10% of the corruption. It confirmed that the grand total of funds misappropriated by local officials exceeds R500-million in three years.
“We are so very happy that this investigation that has taken more than 3 years is finally done. The arrest warrants have been issued and the corrupt officials should be arrested shortly,” a spokesman said.
In a report that will be released soon, it is confirmed that nepotism and other forms of discrimination is rife at the municipality and that all family members who got jobs because their uncles and aunts are in positions of power, will be retrenched.
At the conclusion of the investigation, all workers that have been on temporary contracts for more than two years are likely to receive permanent positions – with back pay.
Bribes some of the officials are believed to have taken in order to help their comrades procure municipal contracts includes luxury German vehicles, property and in many instance LLM officials signed off huge tenders in exchange for a half-portion of buffalo wings at the local Spur.
“We simply cannot get enough of their wings,” it was revealed in an official statement.
“We wish there was a Chicken Licken in Heidelberg, and while we also love Nando’s and KFC, we think Chicken Licken Fly Trough would be the bomb.”
In reaction to these findings the local DA representatives said that they would continue to complain.
“Complaining and pointing fingers is the only thing we really know how to do. We have not been in charge for decades now, so we have no idea of how to run a government. But we will complain and we will complain until we can only complain about the fact that we are complaining,” a DA spokesman said, confirming that the party will send out 47 press releases, complaining about the state of their complaints that have not been heard.
The EFF Sedibeng welcomed the SIU findings, stating that they would start by appropriating the 24 Mercedes Benz luxury vehicles that were given to the Lesedi managers as bribes.
“We will also take town hall and turn it into a new headquarter for our commander in chief,” the EFF said.
EFF Comander in Chief Julius Malema was not available for comment, we have a suspicion that he knew this was April 1 and that on this day it is not a good idea to take every article you read online too seriously.
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