JOBURG — City of Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba confirmed a major investigation into City Power tenders worth billions after the African National Congress lashed out at the mayor saying he is pressuring boards to fire managers appointed by their administration.
The ANC spokesperson, Jolidee Matongo, said the party understands that Mashaba has instructed the board of City Power to suspend the utility’s managing director, Sicelo Xulu. Mashaba threatened to dissolve the board if this doesn’t happen, he claimed.
Read Minister praises City Power smart meters
The party further alleged that Mashaba instructed the City manager to dissolve City Power’s board. The manager is now under pressure from the Donald Trump-like totalitarian tendencies of Mashaba, he said.
Matongo urged the media to pay attention to Mashaba’s interest in the utility in the coming weeks.
A day later, the Democratic Alliance mayor hit back, saying he instructed an independent auditing firm to investigate the utility following serious allegations and information that had been disclosed to him. He said the report is expected to be finalised and a recommendation made in the next six weeks.
He said he found the ANC’s interest in the investigation staggering. “[The tenders were] authorised during their term in office. I regard it as an indication that we are looking into the right tenders,” he said.
Read City Power MD Sicelo Xulu exonerated from litany of allegations
Mashaba called the ANC’s claim that he is putting pressure on the City managers, a shameless attack. He, however, made no comment on suspending Xulu, who was exonerated last year March in a litany of allegations ranging from alleged improper conduct to flouting procurement processes and recruitment practices.
Mashaba had a direct message for the party, which read: “If you have any discomfort in the focus of our investigations, all I can say is please get used to it. I can offer you no comfort, only the assurance [that] those found guilty of corruption [will be] behind bars and [the] stolen money recovered.”
Tweet us @ Sandton_News
