Central SA
Maluti-A-Phofung responds to ghost worker allegations─── 13:01 Mon, 22 Aug 2022
Allegations that the Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality, which includes the towns of Harrismith, Kestell, Phuthaditjhaba in the Eastern Free State, is spending money on so-called ghost workers, have been escalated for further investigations.
According to the municipality’s spokesperson, Thabo Kessah, a special council meeting was held on Thursday, 18 August 2022, in which the matter was addressed.
“The Audit Committee report was found to be inconclusive, and the matter has been referred to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) for a thorough investigation and a plan of action. The Management will also implement recommendations of the report, and to report back to Council about those executions,” he indicated in a media statement.
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OFM News previously reported that the Maluti-A-Phofung municipality had been handed over to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) for investigation.
This, after it was identified as one of the worst performing municipalities nationwide.
Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke then explained that the municipality could not provide evidence of most financial transactions for the past financial year.
According to the Consolidated General Report on Local Government Audit Outcomes MFMA 2020-21, the financial statements of Kopanong, Maluti-A-Phofung and Masilonyana in the
Free State and Phokwane in the Northern Cape were still outstanding by the date of this report.
“The 2019-20 financial statements of Maluti-A-Phofung are also still outstanding,” the report reads.
Meanwhile, Kessah’s media statement further indicated that three vacancies within the municipality will also be addressed.
“(The) Municipal Manager’s position - the position will be advertised as the current contract lapses on 31 October 2022.In the meantime, Director: Infrastructure Bassie Ungerer will be acting for a period no longer than three (3) months as the current Municipal Manager Tseko Mothamaha is on special leave.”
It is further stated that two of the four posts, Corporate Services and Community Services, recommended, were duly appointed by the Council.
The other two, Local Economic Development and Public Safety, Transport and Protection Services, will be readvertised.
In 2020, the National Council of Provinces Provincial Whip for Free State, Itumeleng Ntsube, urged Maluti-A-Phofung to “urgently root out ghost employees” in the payroll of the municipality.
Ntsube indicated that staff audits then discovered that out of the 1 300 employees at the municipality, there are 25 whose employment records cannot be verified.
