According to the SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, a probe revealed that the Mathibestad-based Moretele Municipality is paying an IT company, named Flame IT Strategy, more than it got paid from a tender with another municipality, namely the Madibeng Municipality. This revelation comes after the former Municipal Manager (MM), Roger Nkhumise, was summoned to appear in court for allegedly flaunting the tender regulations in Moretele where the afore-mentioned company was paid R215 million.

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The company is said to have acquired the tender without competitive processes. Kganyago adds that approaching the tribunal paves a way for the state’s only anti-corruption, forensic investigation, and civil litigation agency to recover financial losses suffered by the municipality due to negligence and corruption.

“Nkhumise is accused of unlawfully appointing Flame IT Strategy to render ICT services to the Moretele Municipality, which is largely rural, to the tune of approximately R215 million. The municipality inherited the contract for ICT services from the Madibeng Local Municipality. The arrest of Nkhumise follows an investigation conducted by the SIU, which revealed that the municipality increased the scope of work with two addendums to the original contract, without following processes governing municipal procurement of goods and services.

“Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that the price of the original contract between the Madibeng Municipality and Flame IT Strategy is definitely not in sync with the pricing between the Moretele Municipality and Flame IT Strategy. Madibeng paid Flame IT Strategy approximately R64 million for a similar service,” Kganyago further adds.

The SIU in 2020, whilst Nkhumise was the Municipal Manager at the Klerksdorp-based Matlosana Local Municipality, raided the municipality’s offices and seized documents following allegations of wrongdoing. Kganyago at the time said the raid, related to the R47 million that was allegedly used for Personal Protective Equipment (PEP) purposes, was done in a corrupt manner and that’s why we are here.

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