Call to suspend city boss

The ANC in Gauteng has called for the immediate suspension of Tshwane municipal manager Moeketsi Mosola pending the outcome of a forensic investigation into the awarding of a multibillion-rand project management contract.

The party said on Monday it was appalled‚ disgusted but not surprised by the DA-led coalition showing its true colours in Tshwane.

This comes after the Sunday Times reported that an engineering consultancy‚ GladAfrica‚ was bleeding the city dry after being handed infrastructure projects worth about R12bn‚ as well as raking in a further R250m in middleman commissions in the past six months.

Mosola is said to have brought the firm in despite legal opinions suggesting that doing so was unlawful.

He reportedly disregarded resistance from senior city officials, some of whom were stripped of their powers after questioning the move.

“The DA-led administration outsources the city’s multibillion-rand capital expenditure,” the ANC said.

It said funds for road construction, water and electricity were provided in this budget.

“Service providers‚ [including] struggling entrepreneurs who used to get business from the municipality‚ are now at the mercy of a middleman, GladAfrica‚ [which requires] facilitation fees.

“Bringing in the consultancy has dramatically inflated prices as the consultancy fees are way beyond [the approved] rates.

“Effectively the DA-EFF city has done away with competitive bidding processes and has outsourced its procurement.

“If the coalition is serious about service delivery, [it] should suspend Mosola,” the ANC said. –