EPLMM suspends Infrastructure Services Director

MARBLE HALL – One of the opposition parties in the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality (EPMLM) Council, the Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA), has expressed grave dissatisfaction on the recent move by the local municipality to only suspend its infrastructure director and called for more drastic action to be taken against the director.

On Monday, 08 August 2022, The ANC-led EPMLM announced its decision to put its Director of Infrastructure Services, Pleasure Mashile, on a precautionary suspension after considering allegations of misconduct leveled against him.

According to the local municipality, the precautionary suspension was to allow for the finalization of internal investigations on a matter involving the director.

The suspension of Director Mashile comes in the light of allegations of irregular payments made to a service provider on a road project in the local municipality, the Mashemong/Mooihoek internal street project.

The BPSA said that it came to their attention that gross maladministration and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Supply Chain Management Policies and Procedures were violated in the project.

Seun Mogotji, BPSA leader, said that the service provider was paid in full despite the fact that the road project was still at 60% completion stage.

Mogotji further said that the service project was paid an amount of 116 678 66 extra plus 10% retention fee.

The leader added that as the BPSA they recommended that a South African Police Service (SAPS) investigation be instituted on the matter and not only an internal investigation by the municipality.

“These investigations by the municipality have never yielded any results. We want the matter to be reported to the police. It should be noted that the contractor was paid full contracted amount of R22 486 610 in advance before the project was completed, and it is still incomplete. It should further be noted that the contractor even got overpaid by R116 678 66 over and above the appointment amount, which was R22 488 640, adding up to R22 605 318,” said Mogotji.

Speaking on one of the SABC radio stations on Wednesday, 10 August 2022, Sam Uwane, ANC Sekhukhune Regional Spokesperson, said the reason for the institution of an internal investigation was for the local municipality to establish what exactly transpired, following proper steps.