MOKOPANE – This follows after the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), Mogalakwena Concerned and Affected Communities (MCAC) and Mokopane Task Team (MTT) took their concerns, evidence and grievances to parliament last month.
The SIU will look into transactions that took place between April 2016 and March this year that is relevant, connected or involve the same person or contracts investigated under the authority of the proclamation.
The proclamation authorises to investigate the serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the municipality, improper on unlawful conduct by municipal employees, unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money and property, irregular or unapproved transactions, measures or practice having a bearing upon State property, intentional loss of public money or damage to public property.
It also authorises the investigation of unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused serious harm to the interests of the public or any category thereof.
The concerns that were raised by the representatives of the various community structures included an alleged unlawful lease agreement of a piece of land in Nelson Mandela Drive, the irregular appointment of staff members, recruitment processes that were not followed, employees that were not budgeted for as well as councillors that are in business with the municipality.
Other areas of concerns included the irregular issuing of tenders and incomplete infrastructural projects.
The lack of service delivery was also on the priority list with the mention of road infrastructures, poor water provision, poor waste management, dilapidated sewage systems and incorrect municipal billing to residents.
Disorderly and inconsistent council meetings were mentioned. The organisations recommended to the members of parliament that the in presence of the MEC of CoGSTA in the municipality, the council should be dissolved.
They further recommended that the administrator must institute an anti-corruption watch and service delivery committee that is constituted by various stakeholders in the community.
In conclusion, Thlou Sassa, chairperson of the Sanco Waterberg Region, told Bosveld that the organisations do not only want to see the report of the findings but rather the arrests of the guilty parties.
