UDM 'asks Hawks to investigate OR Tambo municipal bosses'

The OR Tambo District Municipality’s alleged financial mismanagement saga took a different turn on Monday when the UDM said it had opened a criminal case against municipal bosses with the Hawks in Mthatha.

This could not be independently verified because the party had not yet received a case number at the time of writing.

The EFF, meanwhile, says it will ask provincial and national governments to launch forensic investigations into allegations of unauthorised payments of over R168m, in some cases to companies who had allegedly not even lifted a finger.

UDM provincial spokesperson Mabandla Gogo said district municipality caucus leader Bongani Dudumayo had opened a case against mayor Thokozile Sokanyile, council speaker Xolile Nkompela and municipal manager Owen Hlazo following an explosive report tabled in council by then acting mayor Robert Nogumla last week.

Hlazo was placed on precautionary suspension last Wednesday over the payments, a decision which was expected to be rescinded on Monday as it was apparently not done according to procedure, but there was no quorum for the virtual meeting to sit.

Gogo said the UDM had been raising concerns around such payments for some time.

EFF provincial secretary Mlamli Makhetha said it would soon write to national treasury and Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha to launch forensic investigations into the payments.

“We wants these independently investigated.   

“We wish to highlight that financial misconduct and mismanagement have become the norm across municipalities in the province as political deployees act with impunity as there is never a person who gets to be held responsible for stealing of resources meant for the poor.

Hlazo was given until Monday to explain why he should not be suspended for the litany of allegations.

It could not be established whether he had met the deadline at the time of writing, especially since his precautionary suspension was expected to be rescinded.

DispatchLIVE reported at the weekend that Hlazo was accused of authorising payments of over R168m to Amatola Water and some companies who had allegedly not done any work for the district authority.

The DA, UDM and EFF confirmed that Monday’s virtual council meeting did not sit because there was no quorum.

The opposition parties all want Hlazo’s suspension rescinded, saying proper processes were not followed. This, the parties say, would result in Hlazo winning the case should it go to court.

DA caucus leader Sithembiso Mabasa said Hlazo’s suspension was unprocedural.

He said the report used to suspend him was presented as if it was tabled by Sokanyile, who had been in quarantine.

“We are on record saying the municipal manager must be investigated for the unauthorised, irregular and wasteful expenditure which we have incurred over the years, but because they [ANC caucus] were still singing from the same hymn book, they used their majority to defeat the motion.

“Now that they are going to their regional conference, one faction is pushing for the suspension without following due processes.

“Whoever must be charged for corruption, fraud and maladministration must be charged, but council must not be used as a battlefield for ANC battles,” he said.

“At the end of the day people on the ground are suffering because this [R168m] is money meant to improve their lives. We want a fresh investigation which will be done through the municipal public accounts committee, not this rush they are doing.”

Nkompela on Monday said he could not talk as he was in another virtual meeting. A person who answered Hlazo’s phone said he too was in a meeting.

Sokanyile’s phone rang unanswered.