DA spokesperson David Janse van Vuuren tells OFM News that no report on the outcome of the investigation of municipal manager, Thamae Masejane, has been released. This, following an estimated eight-month wait for the DA.

He says the investigation was concluded last year, however, no feedback report was made public. The investigation was based on grounds of unauthorised, irregular, and/or fruitless and wasteful expenditure that has not been accounted for, says Janse van Vuuren. DA Councillor Tania Halse tells OFM News that she has raised this matter with the MEC as such investigations are under time constraints, of which this particular investigation has surpassed its due date. She adds that the MEC has yet to respond.

Moreover, the Mantsopa Municipality has succumbed to financial mismanagement as the under collection and overspending of resources have not been adequately dealt with. As of December 2020, the municipality’s electricity bill stood at R227 million.

"Since this investigation, I gave proof of every one of these allegations. I gave the proof to the investigators. Since then Another R1.8 million has been accidentally paid to third parties. We have in the interim filed criminal charges against the municipal manager because third party deductions are made from the employees’ salaries but not paid over to medical aids and pension funds.”
 
Halse adds that the state of their towns makes it borderline inhabitable. She says the greater parts of the towns are suffering from a shortage of water, and sewage leaks have flooded the streets of these smaller towns.

“We would like to see that there are disciplinary actions being taken against the municipal manager, that he is being held accountable as accounting officer of the municipality. If that doesn’t work, we'll take the next step and approach the minister,” says Janse van Vuuren

He says that there is no collection of revenue, no payment of water and electricity bills, and that the administration and management just don’t seem to be executing their tasks.

Community members are ultimately in need of services and the DA will pressurise them to deliver the basic services to the people, concludes Janse van Vuuren.  

OFM News/Shirndré-Lee Simmons