Refilwe Ramothwala was suspended on August 5, last year over allegations of misconduct but the matter has not been finalized despite the municipality paying R1,6 million to a firm of lawyers to formulate charges against him.

The municipality is also allegedly wasting more of the tax payers’ money by paying unqualified officials to act as municipal manager since Ramothwala’s suspension.

The current acting municipality manager, Khensani Sithole, is allegedly occupying the position illegally as her term of acting has lapsed.

A source within the Municipality said Ramothwala was suspended for being against corruption at the municipality. “There were people from the previous council who wanted to steal the municipality’s money, they saw Ramothwala as a stumbling block,” said the source.

He said Maruleng was the best run municipality in the district during Ramothwala’s tenure.

The secretary of the Concerned Residents Association, David Ramoshaba, wondered why the former council members left office before finalizing the matter if the charges leveled against Ramothwala were true.

“The money being wasted was supposed to be used for delivering much needed services to the people. We appeal to the new council to urgently finalise the matter,” said Ramoshaba.

Ramothwala confirmed that he has been receiving his monthly salary plus allowance for the past 12 months and referred further questions to the municipal spokesperson, John Seokoma who was not available to comment at the time of going to press.