Mpumalanga speaker probed for petrol card misuse

A Mpumalanga speaker is in hot water for reportedly misusing an e-wallet petrol card belonging to the municipality.

The provincial department of cooperative governance acting MEC Speedy Mashilo recently instructed the Steve Tshwete local municipality to investigate.

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The municipality comprises the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, ANC, Middelburg & Hendrina Residents Front (MHRF) and the Freedom Front Plus.

According to a leaked bank statement seen by The Citizen, the speaker Thatho Mathunyane, who represents MHRF, allegedly spent more than R5 000 between 12 April and 2 May, using the petrol card.

The bank statement shows the fuel was bought in Middelburg and surrounds. “I can confirm there’s an investigation concerning the misuse of the petrol card,” said the council’s spokesperson Lerato Kgomo.

“For now, we cannot point a finger at anyone. We can only start mentioning names when the investigation is concluded. What we know now is that the bank statement revealed the card had been misused.”

The Citizen has seen a letter in which Speedy Mashilo, Mpumalanga MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), sent to the municipal manager Mandla Mnguni ordering him to investigate the credit card allegation and other corruption allegations happening within the municipality.

“The allegations include abuse of the municipal garage, credit cards allocated to the speaker’s official vehicles, failure to provide a forensic report regarding employees inflated salaries, manipulation of tenders and other related projects,” said Mashilo.

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The letter did not give more details about the alleged corruption. However, a source at the council said most of the alleged corrupt activities were committed by the speaker, while the municipal manager failed to hold him accountable.

Cogta provincial spokesperson Lindiwe Msibi has not commented, while the department’s head Samkelo Ngubane just viewed the texts sent to him but did not respond. Mathunyane denied the allegation, saying it was a bid to stop him from being a mayor.

“All this is a smear campaign against me because we’re dealing with a motion of no confidence against the mayor.”

A source close to the matter said Cogta aims to use the credit card allegations to remove the speaker as they are not happy with the coalition.