MUNICIPAL swimming pool boss Vikramjith “Vicky” Singh has been suspended amid allegations of systematic fraud.
The action follows a raid on his office in October last year by the Hawks and Buffalo City Metro municipal manager Andile Fani.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi confirmed that Singh was suspended and all criminal allegations would continue to be investigated by the Hawks.
“Vicky Singh has been placed under precautionary suspension pending an internal process that relates to certain allegations,” said Ngesi.
While he would not detail the reasons for the suspension, allegations are that gate takings and other revenue was not properly accounted for and sums of unrecorded cash were discovered in envelopes during the raid.
A Dispatch deeds search yesterday revealed that Singh, a category eight municipal official earning about R35000 a month and taking home between R16000 and R20000 a month, owns two beachfront flats in Elizabeth Court behind the Kennaway Hotel.
They were bought for R750000 each in 2011. Singh is also the owner of a third property believed to be in the Quigney, which he bought for R680000 on June 10 2008.
The Dispatch also established that he drives a 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML-350 CDi, which he purchased second hand last year.
A search on Autotrader revealed that a similar model was currently selling for about R400000.
Singh, 57, is reported to have broken down in tears in front of some the Joan Harrison staff last week while cleaning out his office.
Singh did not reply to messages left by the Dispatch on his cellphone yesterday, and his attorney, Michael Sharp of Drake Flemmer & Orsmond, declined to comment, saying through his office that he would comment next week.
During a dramatic five-hour raid on the offices at the pool complex at the end of October, Ngesi said Fani and the Hawks had “picked up elements of fraud and corruption” that needed to be investigated.
Ngesi said they were acting on “reports of financial mismanagement and alleged theft”.
Records show that the John Harrison complex, “the biggest and busiest swimming pool in the metro”, was only taking in and banking R100 a day, “yet it costs the Metro millions to maintain”, Ngesi said.
Unrecorded cash in three unmarked envelopes was found lying in drawers and a safe.
One of Singh’s fiercest foes during his tenure as boss of the facility, swimming coach Joe Hillstrom, 70, said there was a new, happier atmosphere at the complex.
Hillstrom has battled against Singh’s administration for more than six years and was part of a group ejected from the pool by city police in 2009 and pepper sprayed.
Staff told Hillstrom that the pool earned the city R36000 over three days last week, averaging at R11300 a day. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
City suspends Joan Harrison complex boss
The action follows a raid on his office in October last year by the Hawks and Buffalo City Metro municipal manager Andile Fani.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi confirmed that Singh was suspended and all criminal allegations would continue to be investigated by the Hawks.
“Vicky Singh has been placed under precautionary suspension pending an internal process that relates to certain allegations,” said Ngesi.
While he would not detail the reasons for the suspension, allegations are that gate takings and other revenue was not properly accounted for and sums of unrecorded cash were discovered in envelopes during the raid.
A Dispatch deeds search yesterday revealed that Singh, a category eight municipal official earning about R35000 a month and taking home between R16000 and R20000 a month, owns two beachfront flats in Elizabeth Court behind the Kennaway Hotel.
They were bought for R750000 each in 2011. Singh is also the owner of a third property believed to be in the Quigney, which he bought for R680000 on June 10 2008.
The Dispatch also established that he drives a 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML-350 CDi, which he purchased second hand last year.
A search on Autotrader revealed that a similar model was currently selling for about R400000.
Singh, 57, is reported to have broken down in tears in front of some the Joan Harrison staff last week while cleaning out his office.
Singh did not reply to messages left by the Dispatch on his cellphone yesterday, and his attorney, Michael Sharp of Drake Flemmer & Orsmond, declined to comment, saying through his office that he would comment next week.
During a dramatic five-hour raid on the offices at the pool complex at the end of October, Ngesi said Fani and the Hawks had “picked up elements of fraud and corruption” that needed to be investigated.
Ngesi said they were acting on “reports of financial mismanagement and alleged theft”.
Records show that the John Harrison complex, “the biggest and busiest swimming pool in the metro”, was only taking in and banking R100 a day, “yet it costs the Metro millions to maintain”, Ngesi said.
Unrecorded cash in three unmarked envelopes was found lying in drawers and a safe.
One of Singh’s fiercest foes during his tenure as boss of the facility, swimming coach Joe Hillstrom, 70, said there was a new, happier atmosphere at the complex.
Hillstrom has battled against Singh’s administration for more than six years and was part of a group ejected from the pool by city police in 2009 and pepper sprayed.
Staff told Hillstrom that the pool earned the city R36000 over three days last week, averaging at R11300 a day. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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