CITY BOSS ACCUSED OF POCKETING FUNDS
Hawks probe use of personal bank account
THE Hawks are investigating the boss of a Mpumalanga municipality owed R2-billion by ratepayers for allegedly using his private bank account to receive some of the institution’s money.
Emalahleni municipal manager Theo van Vuuren is accused of authorising money meant to go to the municipality’s account to a personal bank account.
On Friday, Emalahleni DA councillor Koos Venter opened fraud charges against Van Vuuren alleging that he signed a letter to have money meant for the municipality to be deposited into an unidentified individual’s bank account.
“We got a letter signed by Van Vuuren authorising money meant to go to the municipal account to a personal bank account. This is fraud. That’s not how the Municipal Finance Management Act works,” said Venter.
Hawks Mpumalanga spokesman Brigadier Selvy Mohlala confirmed that the police’s corruption fighting unit were investigating a fraud case against Van Vuuren.
“Yes, we’re investigating a case of fraud. Allegations are that the municipal manager [Van Vuuren] used a non-municipal bank account to deposit money meant for the municipality,” said Mohlala.
However, Van Vuuren, has threatened to sue Venter for defamation after the DA laid criminal charges.
“First, the DA through Venter had the document a long time ago, he told me about it and we asked him to submit it for investigation but they refused to co-operate,” Van Vuuren said.
“Let it be clear that the letter which they allege I signed for money to be sent to a certain account is under investigations by the municipality. The letter is fraudulent itself.”
Van Vuuren said the municipality was still investigating who the account belonged to.
“Actually, there was a farmer who was supposed to deposit money to the municipality; the letter they used to open a criminal case against me suggest that a private account not of the municipality’s was used. We’re still investigating whose account is this and if the money did really got into that account.”
Van Vuuren added: “Let me say it that I’m taking legal action against the DA and Venter for going to the media [to] label me a corrupt and untrustworthy person. This is defamation of character.”
Van Vuuren, who first arrived at the municipality in 2013 as an administrator, said Emalahleni had changed since he took over.
“Let’s say we have made progress in service delivery; we are paying Eskom, we are trying to collect debts from the consumers both for water and electricity.
“When it comes to service delivery we have decided to formalise some informal settlements; water is there and electricity is there,” added Van Vuuren, also known as Mr Fix-It.