UPDATE: Struggling Sedibeng municipality accused of splurging R3.9 million on catering in five years

Cash-strapped Sedibeng District Municipality has spent R3.9 million on catering services in the last five financial years.

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile revealed that between July 2017 to January 2022 the municipality forked out millions on food and drink during workshops, committee meetings, and council meetings.

He was answering questions posed by the DA’s MPL Kingsol Chabalala at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

“It is extremely concerning that the Sedibeng District Municipality which constantly presents an unfunded budget and is in financial crisis is failing to prioritise service delivery for its residents,” said Chabalala.

“The DA will continue to hold the Sedibeng Mayor Lerato Maloka to account for the millions spent on catering instead of ensuring that basic services are rendered to the residents,” Chabalala added.

This is not the first time Sedibeng’s Municipality has been at the centre of controversy.

Back in 2020, Maile reportedly decided to take action against the Sedibeng councillors who were in favour of the exorbitant salary adjustment for the municipality’s former municipal manager, the late Stanley Khanyile.

Khanyile is alleged to have received a salary of R1.8 million per annum, even though the position was advertised with a salary package of R1.2 million.

The Freedom Front Plus has accused Khanyile of receiving an inflated salary from 2018 until he was shot dead in October that same year.

“It is alarming that the exorbitant salary was never brought to the attention of the relevant oversight committees of the Gauteng legislature so that the matter could be addressed.

“The FF+ demands that the councillors of Sedibeng who are implicated in irregularities and unauthorised expenditure during Khanyile’s term as municipal manager by the Cogta report are held accountable and must pay back the money to the municipality,” the party said at the time.

Sedibeng District Municipality reached out to The Citizen on Sunday to set the record straight after having been accused of splurging millions on catering for workshops, committee meetings, and council meetings.

Acting Head: Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Saviour Kgaswane said the municipality was in most cases catering for Municipal Council, committee meetings, and events relating to service delivery.

He also sent us the below break down of the expenditure, saying most of it was incurred in the first three years of the five years.

It was broken down as follows in relations to financial years:

• 2017/18 – R1 653 746.82
• 2018/19 – R1 847 983.87
• 2019/20 – R 818 821.59
• 2020/21 – R 353 498.75
• 2021/22 – R 155 351.06

He added that the district municipality has been drastically cutting expenditure on catering in line with Cost Containment Measures that are being implemented and championed by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Lerato Maloka, and that this is evident in the break down.

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney

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