DESPITE numerous forensic investigations being conducted in Zululand municipalities during the past two years, no disciplinary action has been taken against any officials accused of wrongdoing.
This is according to a parliamentary response to a query from the Democratic Alliance about the status of forensic investigations in the province during the past two financial years.
The reply from KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube, revealed that forensic investigations had been authorised in nine different municipalities, including uMkhanyakude, uMhlathuze, Jozini, uMfolozi, uPhongola and Nongoma.
DA KZN Spokesperson on COGTA and member of the provincial legislature, George Mari, told the Zululand Observer that a further 21 cases of disciplinary hearings were still underway at five of the municipalities.
The update also reveals a troubling discrepancy in the cost of these investigations with the reply highlighting an inconclusive summary of the cost of each investigation.
‘Jozini for example has spent a staggering half-a-million rand, while other municipalities have not incurred any cost whatsoever during these investigations,’ said Mari.
‘This raises serious questions around the reliability of this information and the DA will submit a further question to MEC Dube-Ncube to ascertain the facts.
‘The DA will also call on her to suspend any councillors or other officials currently under investigation with immediate effect.
‘Forensic investigations are little to no use if they are not used to root out corruption. Not one of these forensic investigations throughout the province has been concluded,’ Mari said.
uMhlathuze
An investigation at uMhlathuze, which was commissioned by COGTA in August, has still not been finalised.
Dube-Ncube had given her investigation team just one month to complete their findings.
‘We have been trying to contact the senior manager at COGTA so that he could update us on the status of the investigation by next week. We would like to put this matter to rest before the holidays,’ uMhlathuze Municipal Manager, Dr NJ Sibeko, told the Zululand Observer on Friday.
The COGTA team was tasked to look into widespread allegations of maladministration, fraud and corruption at uMhlathuze, after which Council would be given 21 days to respond.
