Limpopo killings delay tabling of report into R1.1bn fruitless, wasteful expenditure

The ANC in Limpopo is apparently planning to axe three party officials allegedly implicated in a forensic report after the Mogalakwena municipality incurred more than R1.1 billion in fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the past financial year.

The dismal performance saw Mogalakwena placed second-last of the 257 municipalities in SA in the last audit outcomes.

The report was expected to be tabled before council at the next sitting, but that had to be postponed after chairperson for the Mogalakwena municipal public accounts committee Sanny Valtyn Kekana and secretary for the ANC branch in Mokopane, Ralf Kanyane, were shot and killed on Tuesday.

Sources within the municipality told The Citizen yesterday the report had allegedly disclosed that some people within the ANC-led municipality had colluded with service providers to defraud the institution through illegal tendering processes.

“Some tenders were awarded to their political connections without relevant documentation such as grading, while prices and budgets were inflated,” said the source.

Another source, who is also a member of the Limpopo ANC provincial executive committee (PEC), said the party was aware of the damning forensic report and was planning to act on it.

“But that will have to wait now because we are still mourning for the death of our comrades.”

Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said the party was concerned about the protracted infighting in the province. He said the municipality had leadership and administrative problems.

“At one stage, the PEC had to stop the municipality from appointing [people] without relevant documents into positions of responsibility,” said Lekganyane.

“We went there and stopped the process because the ANC has always made it clear that only credible personnel with the right qualifications and good track records will be appointed in public offices so that their municipalities are able to discharge good services to our people.”

Lekganyane denied allegations the party was planning to fire people in Mogalakwena.

“We still subscribe to the notion that one is innocent until proven otherwise by the court of law. But as for the killing of our comrades, we are going to work closely with the police to make sure that those responsible go to jail for a very long time,” he said.

– alexm@citizen.co.za

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