Capricorn mayor under fire over graft allegations

Limpopo executive committee member for cooperative governance Basikopo Makamu has given executive mayor for the Capricorn municipality John Mpe 14 working days to respond to allegations of corruption and maladministration.

Among the allegations which were raised by the South African Communist Party (SACP) are a claim that Mpe bought a new BMW X5 300d worth over R1.1 million without following the prescripts of the Ministerial Handbook.

The SACP further accused Mpe of firing municipal officials who were appointed to investigate allegations of corruption within the municipality.

The party believed the officials were appointed to investigate why Mpe failed to report for duty for nearly a year, earning “a salary of more than R1 million while sitting idle at home”, said the SACP Castro Pilusa district secretary Dan Mosena.

In a statement written to the former MEC Jerry Ndou, the party further accused the mayor of colluding with water service providers.

The statement claims 12 municipal computers holding sensitive tender information had disappeared.

Makamu said: “I have written to Mr Mpe, asking him to furnish us with responses to the allegations. I have also telephoned him to verify that he has received my communique.”

Mpe confirmed he had received the MEC’s request.

“It is just baffling that the SACP … opted to write to the department when he could have simply approached my office with his plight,” he said.

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