Ba-Phalaborwa municipality probes tender scandal allegations

The Ba-Phalaborwa municipality in Limpopo is probing allegations that its municipal manager Maite Moakamela and four directors paid two construction companies more than R1 million a month before the companies were officially contracted for two tenders.

Documents in possession of The Citizen show that the municipality paid two companies R930,000 and R499,000 respectively.

The money was paid in June this year while the tenders were only awarded the following month.

The municipality is also investigating allegations that the two companies were appointed without any service level agreement.

One of the companies was contracted to install storm water culverts in Mashishimale, Lejori and Lulekani, while the other was contracted to refurbish the Namakgale Stadium, outside Phalaborwa.

The bizarre appointments and payments were reportedly first revealed by the municipality’s legal manager Tshiritshiri Mashale. He allegedly stalled drafting the agreements while trying to alert the municipality about the irregularity.

This allegedly made him unpopular among his principals, who later accused him of failing to take a mandate from them.

In light of this, Mashale wrote a letter to the municipal manager and other directors stating his displeasure, claiming he refused to be used as a “scapegoat” to conceal a crime. The Citizen has also seen a copy of this letter.

The letter was allegedly leaked to the EFF, which demanded answers from the municipal manager, the mayor and the speaker.

“Moakamela must go straight to jail. She is the accounting officer and she is expected to know better,” said EFF councillor in the Ba-Phalaborwa municipality, Pontsho Mashumu yesterday.

A senior politician at Frans Mohlala House – Limpopo ANC headquarters – said the matter would form part of the discussions during the party’s provincial executive committee meeting scheduled for next week.

“We have already been briefed about the matter. The ANC told our deployee in that council to bring all related documents in the PEC meeting. Our aim is to make sure fraud, corruption and maladministration are something of the past. But it must also be borne in mind that we cannot act unless we have documented proof that fraud has been committed,” said the politician, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

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