DA riled by R4.7m Covid pay

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo is calling for the suspension of Greater Tzaneen municipal manager Donald Mhangwana for the R4.7 million payment of staff, allegedly without a council resolution.

Yesterday, the party wrote to Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke and MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, Basikopo Makamu, requesting a fullscale investigation.

The payment saga has raised serious ructions between the ruling ANC and opposition parties at the municipality. A sizeable number of municipal workers benefitted from this “Covid danger pay” in July 2023.

The DA said the council did not bother to come clean about the questionable payout as it was never reported during the recent financial committee meeting, or brought before council for approval or ratification.

“In response to a parliamentary question by the DA, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thembi Nkadimeng, stated that no instruction was given to municipalities to award danger pay to officials for their efforts during Covid,” said DA MPL in Lebowakgomo Lindy Wilson.

She said it was concerning that Tzaneen spent so much money while services were in a sorry state. “Since 16 December last year, six transformers blew up at once. They were later replaced, but miraculously, they blew up again...

“This left residents and businesses without electricity for up to 48 hours. The transformers cost the council in excess of R800 000 each. But no explanation was given why they blew up.

“Secondly, millions of litres of water are being lost daily in Tzaneen. We have been fighting in council for these leaks to be repaired for over eight months.”

The municipality said the decision to pay danger allowances was with the guidance of the SA Local Government Bargaining Council, in consultation with the SA Municipal Workers’ Union and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union.

Spokesperson Nevil Ndlala said the council paid R4.7 million to employees who worked between April 2020 and September 2021.