Forensic report shows how mayor ‘milked municipality for fuel and protection’

An explosive forensic report has laid bare the extent of the looting of the Dr JS Moroka local municipality in Mpumalanga, with revelations of how public funds were splurged on the executive mayor’s personal protection outside official duties.

According to the findings of a leaked forensic report into the municipality’s finances, not only did the salary of Thulare Madileng’s bodyguard exceed the threshold set by the labour minister, it was established that most of the time he was protecting the mayor on private social events.

“…the total annual salary of (the bodyguard) according to the records provided to us is R266 460.37 per annum…exceeds the earnings threshold of R205 433.30 determined by the minister of labour,” the leaked report found.

“The bodyguard also indicated to us during our interview with him that 80% of the time he is protecting the mayor (Madileng) while he is busy with his social activities and 10% is when the mayor is busy with his political engagement. We therefore conclude that the bodyguard is not entitled to be paid overtime,” the leaked report stated.

The forensic investigation, conducted by the provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs department in terms Section 106 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, found that the bodyguard was paid overtime though he was not at work.

The last time the bodyguard protected Madileng was in December 2019, but he is still being paid a fixed overtime to date.

The investigation has also uncovered gross abuse of the mayoral vehicle, clocking 60 260km in seven months at the fuel cost of R122 744.03.

According to the report, the vehicle was almost fuelling every day and in some instances it was fuelling twice a day, with the total kilometres travelled in January last year alone totalling 12 403km and 1 694 litres, at the cost of R25 102.13. The following month the official vehicle clocked 11 267km and 1 479.90 litres were fuelled at the total cost of R22 551.81.

Madileng’s official vehicle was fuelled on 10 January 2019 in Durban, while he was attending the ANC January 8 statement, his driver told investigators.

The Vehicle Trip Report for 8 March 2019 for the official vehicle, indicated that the vehicle went to Kimberly in the Northern Cape, from 10 January 2020 to 12 January 2020 and the total kilometres travelled are 1 594.88km.

The investigators established that most of these trips were for Madileng’s private social activities, and some were for attending ANC meetings, while few were for the official duties.

Madileng, who has since resigned, said he would not comment on the contents of the report, saying he knew the truth and that it shall set him free.

He said he resigned because his family was taking a strain from the threats he was receiving and the alleged plot against him.

“My daughter is 15 and has been collapsing in class because of all these issues. I decided to choose my family and I am now unemployed. I do not want to say anything more. People can write and say anything about me, I do not care,” Madileng charged.

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