The financially struggling King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality has been spending a small fortune on private guards for mayor Dumani Zozo’s suburban house in Hillcrest, Mthatha.
Zozo has been recalled by his party but has yet to officially resign.
Taxpayers have also been forking out to protect the home of KSD’s public safety portfolio head, ANC councillor Tshepo Machaea, for a lengthy period.
Although the Daily Dispatch was unable to establish when Tyeks Security was contracted to watch Zozo’s house, several opposition parties claimed the matter had never been brought to council for approval.
The Dispatch has seen copies of invoices from Tyeks to KSD totalling R1.5m.
One unspecified invoice asks for R14,210 to pay for a guard in February and R14,583.58 to pay for another from mid-January to mid-February.
Another invoice, this time itemised as security for the “KSD mayor”, requests R14,210 and R14,583 for two guards during March – a total of R28,793 for the month.
Attempts to get a comment from the KSD municipality were unsuccessful.
On Wednesday, municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said the matter had not been before council.
Tyeks Security owner Tyeluvuyo Buhlungu declined to comment and referred all questions to the municipality.
Several attempts to contact Zozo were unsuccessful.
Council speaker Nontyatyambo Gcingca, who was also recalled last week but has yet to resign, told the Dispatch that no council resolution had been taken relating to protection of Zozo’s house.
DA leader in KSD, Raymond Knock, accused Zozo of running KSD as he pleased.
“It [decision to employ a private security company ] never came to us [council]. We have been saying he treats this municipality as his little farm.”
Last week, the DA submitted a motion of no confidence against Zozo to council speaker Nontyatyambo Gcingca, demanding she convene a special council meeting to vote on the motion in a secret ballot.
Knock said the mayor had failed the people of KSD, which had fallen into a deep financial crisis during his term. The council was unable to fulfill its service delivery mandate.
Gcingca has confirmed she had received the motion.
She also confirmed the question of Tyeks protecting Zozo’s house had never been brought before council.
But Machaea told the Dispatch there was a council resolution for him to be protected after he received death threats at the height of taxi violence.
Gcingca also confirmed this.
UDM councillor Mabandla Gogo said it had been agreed that this resolution should be reviewed, but this had not occurred...