BURGERSFORT
Several politicians and employees are implicated in the
Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality’s alleged tender saga. Tenders were
allegedly awarded to family and friends of senior officials within the
municipality.
Some tenders were awarded to senior officials or
employees at the FTLM.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Fetakgomo-Tubatse
Municipality said they will write to the Acting Municipal Manager (MM), David
Mashoeu to request an urgent investigation into officials responsible for R618
million in irregular expenditure in the municipality.
In addition to this R218 million was also
incurred in fruitless and wasteful expenditure, while over R4 million was
declared as unauthorised expenditure. These shocking figures were revealed in
the Supply Chain Management Report for the 2nd Quarter of the 2019/2020
financial year.
According to the DA’s Lethabile Kgwedi contracts
were awarded to bidders that did not score the highest points in the evaluation
process.
“Some tenders were awarded to service providers
whose directors were in service of other state institution which contravenes
section 112 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and Supply Chain
Management regulations. Also bid specifications for some of the tenders
were drafted in a biased manner and did not allow all potential suppliers
to offer services. Their performance was not monitored on a monthly basis;
and some contracts were awarded to providers whose tax matters had not
been declared by SARS.”
Section 32 of MFMA clearly indicates that
any kind of unauthorized, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure
which is irrecoverable, is no excuse for criminal or disciplinary
proceedings against a person responsible for such expenditure.
The DA alleged that no effective steps were
taken by the Accounting Officer to probe these expenditures as required by
Section 62 of the MFMA, nor were steps taken to determine if any person is
liable for the expenditure as required by Section 32 of the MFMA .
“It is apparent that there is a need for
effective consequence management in this municipality, in order to put an
end to any wasteful expenditure, corruption, maladministration and tender
irregularities.”
He added,“ It was clear that this municipality
does not want to hold officials accountable but instead allows these
politically connected bureaucrats to turn this municipality into a
corruption hub.”
The DA urged the accounting officer to take
actions against the implicated officials that failed to follow due process
to report, to investigate all such matters and to recover
all irregular expenditure in this
municipality.
The party is also considering to
lay criminal charges against all officials that are implicated in this
matter.
The FTLM’s communications officer Thabiso
Mokoena said investigations continue in this alleged matter.
“The report tabled by the Auditor General
to Council on the 29th January 2020, have been referred to Municipal
Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) for investigations and detailed findings
will be given to the public.”
