WIDESPREAD allegations of maladministration, fraud and corruption at the City of uMhlathuze have not gone unnoticed as an external forensic investigation is set to begin at the local municipality.
The Zululand Observer can confirm that KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has appointed a departmental investigation team of four to probe affairs at the local municipality.
In a letter to the municipality on 15 July, the MEC said after ‘consideration of allegations’, she deemed it ‘necessary to institute an investigation’.
‘It will be necessary for the investigators to liaise with both Councillors and officials of the municipality and they may also require access to and seize certain documentation for an in-depth review once the investigation has commenced,’ said Dube-Ncube.
She further requested support from the municipal leadership for the duration of the investigation.
According to documentation submitted to COGTA and in the ZO’s possession, the investigation will look into controversial tender awards and the recruitment of personnel who have ‘no appropriate qualifications and/or experience’.
Favouritism in the appointment of staff, which ‘has done a lot of damage to the good name of the municipality’, will also come under scrutiny.
The probe will examine specific tenders where there have been excessive delays as a result of interdicts against the municipality by unsuccessful bidders as well as deviation from supply chain management regulations by officials.
Tenders ‘being held up to allow for the validity period to expire because preferred bidders were not favoured’ will also be looked into by the MEC’s team of experts.
With service delivery reportedly being severely compromised by maladministration, the MEC was told that ratepayers and business community were ‘fast losing trust in the tender and recruitment processes of the municipality’.
Welcome
Questioned about the COGTA investigation on Wednesday, Mayor Elphas Mbatha told the Zululand Observer that he would support such an intervention from the MEC.
‘If COGTA has started an investigation into matters that the ratepayers are concerned about, we welcome such an investigation,’ said Mbatha.
Municipal Manager, Dr NJ Sibeko said once he had seen the ‘allegations’ under investigation, it would surface before Council.
‘I have not seen the allegations yet, but we are aware that the Mayor has been in contact with COGTA. We will support any intervention from COGTA and will cooperate with the MEC,’ Dr Sibeko said.
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