SIU to probe debt-laden municipality

ALLEGATIONS of maladministration and the awarding of tenders for the compilation of a register of indigent and events management services in the Maluti-A-Profung Municipality is set to be probed by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the corruption-busting unit to probe the affairs of the debt-stricken Free State council.

“The municipality or the state may have suffered losses that may be recovered … the said allegations should be investigated and civil proceedings emanating from such investigation should be adjudicated upon,” he said.

The SIU investigation will cover the period before or after January 1, 2012, until the publication of the proclamation on August 21.

The terms of reference of the SIU cover any alleged serious maladministration, improper or unlawful conduct by municipal officials or employees and unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property.

They also extend to loss of public money or damage to public property, corrupt or any unlawful conduct. The president also said the SIU would look into the tenders for events management services; and the compilation of a register of indigents. This also included “maladministration in respect of fruitless and wasteful expenditure”.

The SIU probe comes two weeks after reports that Eskom had attached the bank account of Maluti-a-Phofung, which owed R5.3 billion. Eskom released part of the funds to pay municipal workers and to keep operations running. |