Senior officials allegedly benefit in FTLM’s tender saga

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.”