SEDIBENG.- The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has said that it has opened cases against officials that were identified as being responsible for irregular expenditure and other irregularities, following the findings of several forensic investigation reports recently.
Makhosonke Sangweni, ELM’s Acting Manager for Communications, Marketing, Branding and Event Management said that ELM’s Executive Mayor, Gift Moerane, during the recent 2021/2022 IDP and Budget Public Participation meetings held in different wards across the municipality, provided comprehensive feedback on this, and other matters. Sangweni said that as one of the key interventions, the ELM commissioned forensic investigations and the subsequent report served in Council during the current financial year. Council then referred the report to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) for processing. “MPAC recommended the establishment of a disciplinary board and Council approved.
“All allegations of misconduct have been referred to the disciplinary board and are receiving attention. Criminal cases have been registered with law enforcement agencies and some cases are with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on the other hand has said that the ELM must recover all monies from the officials that were identified as being responsible for irregular expenditure and other irregularities, following the findings of several forensic investigation reports. The party further said that to date, no funds have been recovered and only one case has been referred to the South African Police Service (SAPS) adding that the money that was spent irregularly could have been used to provide much needed services to ELM residents.
“Service delivery has collapsed in Emfuleni, with residents experiencing intolerable water shortages, low water pressure, a constant electricity crisis, a lack of regular refuse collection, and sewer challenges while there are officials who benefitted illegally from the money meant to better their lives.” Kingsol Chabalala, DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head said that in a written response to questions in the Gauteng Legislature recently, Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile revealed that there were six forensic investigations that were conducted in Emfuleni since 2010, of these investigations, five were conducted from 2011 to 2015, and one investigation was conducted between 2018 to 2020. It is said that these investigations had been undertaken by Comperio Forensic Company at a cost of R56.5 million.
“Thirty one (31) Emfuleni officials were identified as being responsible for the irregular expenditure and other irregularities, while twenty one (21) of these have left the employ of the municipality. To date, no employee has been fired and no service provider has been blacklisted. The DA is calling on Emfuleni to resume the process of recovering all the monies from the implicated officials to assist this municipality which is facing a serious cash flow crisis,” said Chabalala.
He added that irregular expenditure opens the door to corruption and points to poor planning.
“This has a huge negative impact on a municipality’s budget which severely affects service delivery. Irregular expenditure and irregularities will continue for as long as there is no consequence management systems in place. Furthermore, officials are allowed to resign before disciplinary action can be taken against them. In most cases, the residents are at the losing end of the stick as they continue to suffer a lack of service delivery that they are rightfully entitled to, as is happening in Emfuleni.”
