DA calls on mayor to release forensic report

LIMPOPO -The DA has called on the Sekhukhune mayor, David Magabe to make public the forensic report that reveals that the former municipal manager, Benedicta Monama allegedly signed off and irregularly awarded water project tenders worth R230 million to 15 companies.

In a media statement, the DA said pending the information obtained in the report, it considered laying criminal charges against Monama and other officials who might be implicated in the matter.

According to this report, the awarding of tenders in this case was characterised by maladministration, gross irregularities and arbitrariness.

“The tenders were aimed at alleviating the water crisis to Sekhukhune villages, where many residents are still sharing water with animals,” said the DA Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle.

“It is alleged that Monama, who was appointed to act as the municipal manager between January 12 and February 13, favoured these 15 companies even though they all failed to produce Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) credentials and audited financial statements. Among the recommendation on the report is that contracts signed by all these 15 companies with the municipality must be repudiated with immediate effect.”

Smalle said the DA was in a possession of another report from national treasury requesting the municipality put the 15 MIG projects on hold and re-advertise the tenders.

“This finding was discovered during the forensic audit of the municipality finances conducted by the regulatory compliance services within the department of cooperative governance,” he said.

“The DA urges Magabe to provide the report within seven days. Should he fail to comply, we will have no choice but to file an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) against the municipality to get access to the report and make public its scandalous findings.”