Lesedi Mayor must cooperate in full with SIU investigation into corruption
by Gerry Holtzhausen Cllr - DA Lesedi Caucus Leader
The Mayor of Lesedi, Lerato Maloka, has been worryingly quiet about the pending investigation into widespread corruption at the Lesedi Local Municipality (LM). She must come out and assure the people of Lesedi that she will cooperate with the investigation, so that the municipality can be rescued.
President Jacob Zuma recently signed a Proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the endemic corruption at Lesedi LM. This comes two years after the DA first met with the SIU about corruption at the municipality.
We urge that the following factors be taken into account during the investigation:
• The misappropriation of funds totalling R40 million over the last financial year alone.
• The R20 million that is owed to Lesedi LM by a company charged with collecting funds from pre-paid electricity meters.
• Chronic service delivery issues including the unreliable supply of electricity due to failure to pay Eskom.
Lesedi was once cash flush, with R18 million in the bank but the municipality is now R78 million in the red. Despite lengthy delays, we welcome this investigation as a step towards restoring good governance at Lesedi LM.
With at least 26 verifiable cases that have been brought to the SIU’s attention, the investigative process must lead to strong action being taken against corrupt officials. We hope that the investigation does not drag on unnecessarily, however we do appreciate that it must run its course.
Service delivery and basic maintenance of infrastructure at Lesedi LM have suffered severely due to corruption. The DA is concerned that, while action is finally being taken, the wide-spread service delivery protests may flare up again as it did in 2011, due to lack of delivery.
The time for corruption and maladministration is over, it’s time for change. This investigation is the first step and we are encouraged that it is a step in the right direction. The DA remains committed to ensuring that ANC-corruption is tackled head-on.
