TWO uMhlathuze Councillors implicated in a forensic report which probed allegations of corruption during the allocation of low cost houses at Dumisani Makhaye, have been cleared.
After three years of protracted disciplinary proceedings, the City of uMhlathuze Executive Committee last week announced the matter had ‘finally been put to rest’.
A disciplinary panel adjudicating the matter found there was ‘no evidence of interference in administration’ by both Councillors, BC Mthembu and PM Ntanzi.
In 2011, the Zululand Observer exposed a scandal, which affected many underprivileged residents applying for low cost housing in the former uMhlathuze Village.
Disgruntled community members revealed how they reportedly paid R4 000, a bottle of red label Johnnie Walker and a case of beer to authorities to secure a low cost home.
This resulted in the City commissioning a forensic report, which was conducted by Ngubane and Co and submitted to Council on 8 November 2011.
The forensic report recommended that Councillors Mthembu and Ntanzi be removed from the Housing Panel and be charged for violating the Council Code of Conduct by displaying favouritism towards certain individuals when allocating houses.
In May 2012, Council confirmed disciplinary proceedings would be instituted against the implicated Councillors.
Public
At last week’s Exco meeting, the findings were finally made public and the respective Councillors were exonerated.
‘As a panel, there is no basis for reprimand or further disciplinary action in this matter but the panel issued a caution to Councillors to tread lightly when dealing with issues that could be construed as interference in administration,’ said the report.
The disciplinary panel further recommended that the removal of Cllr Mthembu and Cllr Ntanzi as members of the housing panel be ‘declared a moot point’, as this had already been dealt with by Council.
Deputy Mayor Vera Gumbi welcomed the end result, saying the matter had taken a long time to be resolved with the respective Councillors being disadvantaged unfairly during the time.
However Cllr Beena Simmadhri requested a full report of the forensic investigation adding that they had not ‘read the detailed findings of the investigators’.
Mthembu is a Ward 20 Councillor while Ntanzi serves as Ward 28 Councillor at uMhlathuze.
17 OCTOBER 214
Public protector tackels housing scandal
AFTER two years of public outcry, the Office of the Public Protector is finally probing allegations of corruption in the allocation of low cost houses at Dumisani Makhaye (former uMhlathuze Village).
This comes after officials from Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s office met with members of the National Freedom Party (NFP) in Durban earlier this month to assess complaints from affected residents.
Last year, the NFP in Ward 28 called on the Public Protector to intervene when the City of uMhlathuze reportedly refused to release the findings of a forensic investigation into alleged housing irregularities at the former uMhlathuze Village housing project.
In 2011, the Zululand Observer exposed a shocking housing scandal which preyed on underprivileged residents, resulting in a City forensic report conducted by Ngubane and Co.
Disgruntled community members told the Zululand Observer how they had allegedly paid R4 000, a bottle of red label Johnnie Walker and a case of beer to authorities to secure a low cost home at the former uMhlathuze Village.
The final report was submitted to the uMhlathuze Council on 8 November 2011, which led to the subsequent suspension of two officials, who had allegedly violated the code of proper practice when allocating housing units.
The forensic report further recommended that Councillors BC Mthembu and PM Ntanzi be removed from the Housing Panel and be charged for violating the Council Code of Conduct by displaying favouritism towards certain individuals when allocating houses.
Referee
Chairperson of the Housing Sub-committee for the NFP uMhlathuze Constituency, I Mchunu said the City could not be the referee and player in the investigation.
‘We met with officials from the Public Protector’s office and submitted a report with evidence from affected residents.
‘We urge concerned individuals to come forward with any further evidence of irregularities.
‘We don’t want a repeat of what happened before.’
The party said that new houses were reportedly being allocated when old beneficiaries were still without homes.
‘Those who were left out as a result of corruption should be given priority but instead have to re-register to be on a new beneficiary list.’
uMhlathuze Exco Councillor Dumisani Nxumalo said the identification of beneficiaries should not be done by Councillors.
‘When Councillors identify beneficiaries, there could be an element of bias.
‘The funding for housing is coming from provincial government.
‘All South Africans submit taxes to government so everyone should benefit.
‘The Department of City Development should go back and develop a proper plan to identify beneficiaries,’ added Nxumalo.
