DA insists R4m used on ICT policies be investigated at FTLM
The matter was flagged by the audit committee and was referred to Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) by council for further scrutiny.
The Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) has allegedly forked out R4m to develop eight information and communication technology (ICT) policies.
The Limpopo DA said it would write to the MEC for co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs, Basikopo Makamu, to institute a forensic investigation into these ICT policies that allegedly cost the FTLM’s taxpayers this much money.
“During the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, the municipality forked out R4m just to develop eight ICT policies. The matter was flagged by the audit committee and was referred to Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) by council for further scrutiny.
“The Audit Committee raised concerns regarding the cost of these policies and requested that the costs to be unbundled, which the officials were unable to do.
“The report was brought back by MPAC during a council sitting on January 31 after the officials were unable to provide the policies,” said the DA’s councillor in the FTLM, Itumeleng Molapo.
He said the reason given to develop these new policies was that the old ICT system was inadequate and needed to be reconfigured after the amalgamation of the Fetakgomo and the Tubatse local municipalities.
“We are unconvinced about the motivation for this extravagant expenditure, not only because the amalgamation took place eight years ago in August 2016, but also because the then DA-led coalition government of Modimolle-Mookgopong, which amalgamated at the same time, used best practices from other municipalities and did not spend a cent on ICT policies,” said Molapo.
He said a forensic investigation would reveal the facts behind the expenditure and pinpoint officials and cadres who must be held accountable.
