The City of Johannesburg’s assistant director for stakeholder management in the revenue department was arrested on 22 January, along with two members the public, for allegedly attempting to solicit a R2 500 bribe from a Selby resident.
Mashaba said the resident lodged a complaint with the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services, also known as the anti-corruption unit, after paying R18 000 so that services would not be disconnected. They were later disconnected anyway.
This according to Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, who said the two are former employees of an independent contractor who used to provide electricity disconnection services to City Power.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court today (23 January).
Mashaba said he is disappointed that there are still elements of corruption within the City, especially those who work with its finances. More than 15 officials have been arrested from the said department for fraud and corruption thus far.
In this case, a sting operation was set up by the investigation services and the Hawks. The two officials allegedly collected R2 500 from the complainant and the Hawks pounced on them, Mashaba said.
“After they were arrested they then phoned the City official and told him that they had collected R2 500. Not knowing that the phone was on speaker mode, the official instructed his two accomplices to deposit R1 500 into his account and share the R1 000 among themselves. He was then called in by the members of the Hawks and was arrested upon his arrival,” alleged Mashaba
The mayor alleged that it was established that the City official had been providing his accomplices with information on accounts that were in arrears. They would then go to the addresses and try to solicit bribes, he claimed.
The City has uncovered fraud and corruption amounting to R16,2 billion since the establishment of the investigation services, the mayor said –and the finance department accounted for more than R8 billion.
“In the context of the City’s billing challenges, acts of corruption only serve to worsen the difficult circumstances which our residents have been forced to live under for years,” Mashaba said.
According to Mashaba, by the end of November last year, 18 people had been arrested for fraud and corruption, some from within the revenue department and others being members of the public.
The City’s second installment of the billing open days was cancelled due to a work stoppage, seemingly in solidarity with co-workers who had been arrested.
Earlier this month, Mashaba fired his MMC of Finance, Dr Rabelani Dagada, and said that he would open a case against him at the police station. Dagada will now face an enquiry by the DA’s Federal Legal Commission and appear before the Council Ethics Committee on allegations of favouritism relating to tenders within his department.
Residents can report any fraud and corruption activities through the City’s 24-hour tip-off hotline 0800 002 587 or visit the investigation services office at 48 Ameshoff Street in Braamfontein.
https://fourwaysreview.co.za/273658/joburgs-fired-finance-mmc-denies-allegations-says-his-name-will-be-cleared/
