Residents call for municipal manager’s removal

BURGERSFORT- In the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) a person can earn a level 5 salary without a matric certificate. This was heard when the Tubatse Resident Association (TRA) held a protest march to the municipal offices on August 15.

The association marched to the municipal offices and demanded the removal of the acting municipal manager (MM) Ms Adelaide Monyepao. Some of the placards read: “Hawks, Special Investigative Unit (SIU) save us”; “President Zuma, please sent forensic investigation today” and “Monyepao must go now”.

Apart from the removal of the acting MM, residents also called for the recovery of alleged public funds squandered and the opening of criminal charges against her.

In the memorandum submitted to the municipality the TRA alleged Monyepao paid herself the salary of the acting MM for June 2014, without her having received concurrence from the MEC for cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (Coghsta) Ms Mmakoma Makhurupetja.

“Likewise, she was paid illegally in that position from November 1 to 21, 2013 and again from February 1 to 23.

“Council resolutions stated her acting would be effective upon and pending receipt of concurrence from the MEC, and was received during the periods stated above.

The TRA alleged she continued to appoint and remove bid adjudication committee members as she deemed convenient to her, in order to ease her corruption trail.

“She recently removed the acting CFO from being the chairperson and member of the adjudication committee because he disagreed with the misleading recommendations from her puppets serving in the bid evaluation committee.

Under the leadership of Monyepao the GTM allegedly failed to prepare and submit annual financial statements to the office of the auditor general.

The TRA also alleged the acting MM appointed Mapotene Mangena Incorporated Attorneys to conduct a forensic investigation at a whopping rate of R4500 per hour.

“We discovered the company was not registered as forensic investigators and never submitted a quotation but was still chosen over other registered forensic investigators that had submitted quotations at reasonable rates,” said TRA chairman Mr Morewane Sekhukhune.

According to the TRA, Monyepao covered up wrongdoing by convening staff meetings, intimidating workers and threatening to pursue whistle-blowers at the municipality.

It is rumoured that fed-up workers who were on the receiving end of her alleged “dictatorship” voiced their anger in a letter titled “Save the GTM from collapse.” Monyepao allegedly hired people to investigate who had written the letter.

The TRA wanted Monyepao to be charged, as they claimed she delayed service delivery processes.

“She defied and failed the locals by deliberately refusing to pursue the buying of the municipal civic centre, despite the budget amount of R80 million. The centre is already a liability to the municipality as its monthly rental fee increases annually.”

Among other allegations, the MM also refused to sign the service-level agreement with the service provider, against council resolution; this resulted in the collapse of Operation Mabone, an initiative aimed at providing electricity to more than 31 villages in the Tubatse area.

The association described Monyepao as a person who was not consistent, objective or rational in decision making.

“She dismissed Mr Andries Koko without applying the “audi alteram partem” principle (hear the other side too) but did not do anything to Mr Melusi Motha who was found guilty by a court of law and a rapid assessment report conducted by Coghsta and Limpopo treasury.

“She made Motha an acting human resource manager despite his conviction, in order to appoint people aligned to her and the ANC secretary in the region, Mr Jerry Maseko.”

The protesters alleged the acting MM was taking instructions from Maseko as the two were involved in a romantic relationship.

“The instructions led to the illegal appointment of Fawcett Security Services at an originally tendered amount of R587, 311 per month, which was increased to more than one million per month.

The protesters alleged that Maseko was getting a share from this amount. According to them all the irregularities were raised in the Municipal Public Account Committee (MPAC) report which the speaker, Ms Queen Moeng, and the chief whip, Mr Samson Nkosi , refused to table to council as the report recommended disciplinary action to be taken against Monyepao for financial transgressions and misconduct.

The TRA chairman, Sekhukhune was accompanied by the taxi associations and South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) when he handed the memorandum to GTM mayor Mr Ralepane Mamekoa. The latter promised to forward it to the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) Mr Pravin Gordhan, national treasury minister Mr Nhlanhla Nene, Limpopo premier Mr Stan Mathabatha, Limpopo MEC for Coghsta Ms Mmakoma Makhurupetja and the provincial treasury MEC Mr Rudolph Phala.

The TRA concluded by alleging that Monyepao was highly corrupt and and was enjoying undue protection from some heads in the ANC Sekhukhune region. They felt the municipality would be a better place without her.

Meanwhile Steelburger/Lydenburg News learnt from Hawks spokesman Mr Paul Ramoloko that the special police unit was still investigating the municipality.

“I cannot reveal anything at this stage as the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.