BURGERSFORT – The hullabaloo at the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) seems to be nearing an end. The communications department at the municipality recently released a media statement confirming the appointments of a new acting municipal manager (MM) and a new acting chief financial officer (CFO).
The statement confirmed Mr Mike Moja as acting MM and Mr Donald Mhangwana as the acting CFO.
The new appointments came after a council meeting on September 4 at which it was resolved to request the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) to second officials to act as municipal MM and CFO.
“Coghsta has responded by sending both Moja and Mhangwana to replace Ms Adelaide Monyepao and Mr Mpho Maepa whose contracts expired on August 31,” spokesperson for the municipality Mr Thabiso Mokoena told Steelburger/Lydenburg News.
According to Mokoena, Monyepao will resume her role as the director of economic and land development, while Maepa goes back to Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) were he previously worked.
Monyepao was involved in allegations of corruption and maladministration during her tenure as acting MM. This resulted in the the Hawks raiding the municipality in July and seizing documents. The president Mr Jacob Zuma also ordered the special investigating unit (SIU) to probe the municipality. The two units are rumoured to be still busy with their investigations.
Previously, South African Municipal Union (Samwu) alleged Monyepao was among the worst performing directors at 38 per cent and failed to achieve her departmental objectives before she was appointed the acting MM.
Mokoena said the two appointments took effect from September 8 and would lapse once the positions had been filled.
“The mayor and executive committee would like to wish the two gentlemen all the best in their endeavours, to assist the municipality. We also call upon all stakeholders to cooperate with them,” Mokoena added.
Meanwhile locals expressed mixed reactions regarding the appointments.“We hope the two will ensure the municipality is not run like a spaza shop, like the previous acting MM did,” said local resident Mr Peter Mosehla.
Other residents told the paper the paper that GTM should have ensured the previous acting MM, Monyepao was not demoted to the director of economic and land development job as they believed she was corrupt.
Ms Thusego Machaka compared the GTM with Hollywood, she highlighted that the municipality had to appoint permanent people and stop hiring people in acting positions.
