Shenanigans laid bare

MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS HELD FOR ALLEGED FRAUDULENT DEALINGS

In two separate cases, work not done has apparently cost the province R4.7m.

Double payments and paying for work not done has become the norm in several Limpopo municipalities, with opposition parties suspecting collusion between service providers and municipal officials.

Recently, about R3.1 million was paid to a contractor for work not done in the Mopani district municipality in Giyani, R1.6 million was paid to another contractor for work not done at the Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality in Lebowakgomo and R2.2 million was double paid to a security company by Sekhukhune district municipality in Groblersdal.

Last month, executive mayor for the Mopani district municipality Pule Shayi confirmed that three junior officials and a supervisor were suspended for influencing the payment of R3 million to a contractor for work not done.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) had arrested some suspects and affected councils are trying to recoup the money.

The contractor, according to Shayi, was paid to drill, equip and energise boreholes in the Greater Tzaneen local municipality. The boreholes were drilled and equipped but not energised.

“But instead of waiting for Eskom to energise the boreholes through connecting transformers, they claimed payment ... through fraudulent means.

“In the process, the municipality lost about R3 million,” said Shayi during a media briefing at Karibu resort outside Tzaneen. Shayi said the municipality had opened criminal charges against the suspects.

Last week, the Hawks arrested five suspects, aged 36 to 45, for allegedly defrauding the Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality of R1.6 million.

It is alleged that in 2015, the municipality awarded a R2.7-million tender to River Queen to renovate the municipal hall, including to fix the air conditioners.

“However, our investigation revealed the air conditioners were never fixed, but the company was paid R1.6 million,” said Hawks Limpopo spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke in a statement.

The suspects include the company director, former ward councillor, former municipal project manager, municipal senior manager for technical services and the company quantity surveyor.

They were arrested on 16 March in Lebowakgomo and Polokwane.

A Magoshi Swaranang Movement (MSM) councillor at the municipality, Phauwe Mphahlele, who spilled the beans on the alleged corruption, said stealing from municipal accounts was becoming the order of the day at the Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality.

Mphahlele, who has since turned state witness, said the MSM was willing to work with law enforcement agencies to root out fraud, corruption and maladministration, which he said were embedded at Lepelle-Nkumpi.

The case was heard on 17 March, and the suspects were granted R5 000 bail each.

Yesterday, the Bolsheviks Party of South Africa said the Sekhukhune district municipal council paid millions to a security company to provide services at the council buildings.

Municipal spokesperson Moloko Moloto confirmed double payment had been made, but said it was an accounting error and told the SABC yesterday the money had since been reversed to municipal purse.

But Bolsheviks Party leader Seun Mogotji said the alleged accounting error was a planned corruption ploy, aimed at lining the pockets of those masquerading as law-abiding municipal officials instead of fraudsters.