THE IFP in KwaZulu-Natal issued a statement on Monday urging the province’s COGTA MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, to publish the full report relating to alleged tender corruption at uMkhanyakude District Municipality or hand the investigation over to the Public Protector.
‘It is indeed of serious concern that months are passing by and we have not heard anything from Dube-Ncube on the corruption report, nor have we heard of any action into the allegations against Jozini, uMhlathuze, Mandeni and Ingwe,’ said Blessed Gwala, IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature.
‘We, as the IFP, will take all necessary steps to ensure that taxpayers’ money is not misused for the ruling party’s selfish needs and that of corrupt officials’.
According to Gwala, the MEC’s silence on the issue under investigation, as well as on the corruption at most municipalities, show a blatant condoning of fraud and corruption.
He also said her failure to release such reports is a reason for the ongoing deterioration in service delivery at ANC-led municipalities.
‘The MEC and the ANC seem to be conjuring support for corrupt municipalities and officials since it has clearly failed to garner any fruitful action into holding culprits accountable for their wrongdoings,’ said Gwala.
Gwala concluded by saying Dube-Ncube is duty-bound to operate with the highest of ethical standards and the good governance expected from a custodian of governing municipalities.
‘Without the disclosure of the full report the MEC risks not just further damage to her leadership credibility but significant damage to the reputation of the ANC-led government as a whole’.
Gwala will write to the Public Protector requesting her to take over investigations.
