BROKE Mhlontlo municipality spent millions during the last four months of the 2013-14 financial year paying travel allowances to employees and about R1-million on catering.This is the same municipality that struggled to pay its employees last month, finally resorting to using municipal infrastructure grant funding to pay salaries.
A document detailing the municipality’s financial status shows the municipality spent close to R800000 on subsistence and travel for employees on March 25 2014.
Acting municipality manager Sibongile Sotshongaye pocketed more than R44000 in the same month for subsistence and travelling (S&T).
The funds were recorded as paid on March 14 2014 using cheque number 7819.
Another official, a clerk, claimed R17000, while others pocketed between R9000 and R11000.
An amount of R438828.76 was paid to a travel agency on March 8 2014 and an additional R247347.57 paid 17 days later to the same company for travelling and logistics.
Three days after the second payment, a further R211000 was paid to the company.
Mhlontlo also paid thousands of rands for catering at different events.
One event was a beauty pageant, Miss Mhlontlo, which set the municipality back R57065 for decorations, transport, tickets and hairstyling, in addition to R37000 for catering.
Sichume Ideal Trading 047 was paid R19500 on April 11 2014 for catering and R17550 was paid to Stones Guest House for catering on the same day.
A sum of R6000 was spent on soap for expanded public works programme (EPWP) workers. The EPWP programme was launched by government to provide short- and long-term employment for unskilled individuals.
The municipality also spent thousands of rands buying food for meetings and public events.
These include public participation meetings where the municipality spent between R20000 and R33000 on catering.
On April 4, R33500 was spent catering for a special council meeting.
Close to R4-million was spent paying lawyers between March and June this year. One law firm was paid more than R1-million, another received R865300 and others were paid between R57000 and R700000.
Mhlontlo has been taken to court by current and former employees because of alleged irregular appointments and unfair dismissals.
There are several court judgments against the municipality including one by former municipal manager Yolisa Ndima, another by acting technical and infrastructure service director Tando Mase and a third by deputy supply chain director Themba Spampoel.
When contacted by the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Sotshongaye said: “I don’t know how it landed in your hands, and I know it’s not yet been tabled to council so I cannot comment.
“It was only tabled to the executive committee. If I respond to the questions, I would be putting the cart before the horse. Council may not necessarily agree with me if I respond.”
Council speaker Xolile Nkompela said he would not be able to comment until council received a report from the executive committee. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
Mhlontlo travel, food cost millions
This is the same municipality that struggled to pay its employees last month, finally resorting to using municipal infrastructure grant funding to pay salaries.
A document detailing the municipality’s financial status shows the municipality spent close to R800000 on subsistence and travel for employees on March 25 2014.
Acting municipality manager Sibongile Sotshongaye pocketed more than R44000 in the same month for subsistence and travelling (S&T).
The funds were recorded as paid on March 14 2014 using cheque number 7819.
Another official, a clerk, claimed R17000, while others pocketed between R9000 and R11000.
An amount of R438828.76 was paid to a travel agency on March 8 2014 and an additional R247347.57 paid 17 days later to the same company for travelling and logistics.
Three days after the second payment, a further R211000 was paid to the company.
Mhlontlo also paid thousands of rands for catering at different events.
One event was a beauty pageant, Miss Mhlontlo, which set the municipality back R57065 for decorations, transport, tickets and hairstyling, in addition to R37000 for catering.
Sichume Ideal Trading 047 was paid R19500 on April 11 2014 for catering and R17550 was paid to Stones Guest House for catering on the same day.
A sum of R6000 was spent on soap for expanded public works programme (EPWP) workers. The EPWP programme was launched by government to provide short- and long-term employment for unskilled individuals.
The municipality also spent thousands of rands buying food for meetings and public events.
These include public participation meetings where the municipality spent between R20000 and R33000 on catering.
On April 4, R33500 was spent catering for a special council meeting.
Close to R4-million was spent paying lawyers between March and June this year. One law firm was paid more than R1-million, another received R865300 and others were paid between R57000 and R700000.
Mhlontlo has been taken to court by current and former employees because of alleged irregular appointments and unfair dismissals.
There are several court judgments against the municipality including one by former municipal manager Yolisa Ndima, another by acting technical and infrastructure service director Tando Mase and a third by deputy supply chain director Themba Spampoel.
When contacted by the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Sotshongaye said: “I don’t know how it landed in your hands, and I know it’s not yet been tabled to council so I cannot comment.
“It was only tabled to the executive committee. If I respond to the questions, I would be putting the cart before the horse. Council may not necessarily agree with me if I respond.”
Council speaker Xolile Nkompela said he would not be able to comment until council received a report from the executive committee. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
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