Mpumalanga corruption report reveals more shockers

The Mpumalanga department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) has confirmed that a leaked forensic report detailing the extent of the rot at the Dr JS Moroka municipality has been presented to council.

Cogta spokesperson George Mthethwa said the report is yet to be discussed in council and could not be discussed in public until it was deliberated on in council.

“So far (MEC for Cogta in Mpumalanga, Mandla Msibi) presented it to council which has 14 days to convene all councillors for deliberations and to develop a plan of action to implement the recommendations. Until then, the report cannot be discussed in public and leaking it is contravention of the legislation,” he said.

The council, which sits in the capital of Siyabuswa, has until next week Thursday to table the report, deliberate on its findings and recommendations.

Meanwhile the Economic Freedom Fighters is planning a series of protests and marches against the council.

According to the department, last November an anonymous whistleblower reported various allegations of corrupt practices against senior officials, employees, and councillors, including former mayor Thulare Madileng as well as service providers.

The scope of the investigation was particularly large due to the number of allegations, including maladministration, misuse of public funds and assets, nepotism, non-implementation of council resolutions, tender fraud and corruption, related to R30 million invested in the VBS Mutual Bank and R40 million spent on a fresh produce market that was never completed.

Services have come to a standstill in the municipality, with many of its 55 villages without running water and relying on water tankers.

Recently built roads and bridges in the municipality, situated within the Nkangala District in the north-western part of Mpumalanga, have been washed away or crumbling.

The findings of the leaked report have enraged residents who have borne the brunt of the decay, with revelations of how crooked officials and councillors abused public assets and looted public funds, including at least R18 million meant for drought relief projects.

According to the damning report, boreholes meant for impoverished communities without running water were instead drilled and installed at the private homes and farms of the municipality’s senior officials and councillors.

At least R40 million was spent on the construction of a fresh produce market, which to date remains incomplete since 2008, according to the report. The establishment of the fresh produce market brought hope to local residents as they would have a place to sell their produce and also get jobs.

The facility would also save Marble Hall farmers money from having to transport their produce to Pretoria, but now stands as a monument to corruption.

The report reveals how crooked municipal officials stopped construction on the fresh produce market on the pretext that funds had been depleted, and then strip what had already been built before appointing another contractor.

“The municipality will again in the next year when they have funds, …appoint other service providers to continue with the project. While the service provider is still busy with the project, the municipality will stop the project and inform the service provider that there are no funds,” a senior official told investigators during an interview.

“Then after the services had stopped working, the [vandals] will come and vandalise again. The project will again need more money to be finalised.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.