2 Tshwane metro bigwigs to face music over Covid feeding scheme

Two senior Tshwane metro managers face disciplinary action after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) concluded its probe into a homeless food tender.

At this stage, it is unclear whether the charges would be related to corruption or maladministration issues.

The investigation came after caterers claimed the municipality contracted them to feed homeless people in the city during the lockdown last year but then did not pay them for doing so.

About 40 service providers were allegedly contracted by the metro to feed about 1 600 beneficiaries at 10 shelters, but they were not paid until they voiced their grievances in public.

The service providers claimed the metro owed them R19-million.

Since then the metro said it has paid the service providers, but would not disclose the amount involved.

The SIU did, however, reveal that the metro spent R24-million on feeding the homeless in this period.

They would not divulge whether this included the money paid to the service providers or was in addition to it.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said their investigation was finalised in January.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the municipality was “busy implementing the SIU report’s recommendations”.

“Details about the persons that will face disciplinary action cannot be divulged [at this stage],” Mashigo said.

He said the Tshwane metro had assessed and followed the SIU report findings and recommendations.

The scandal emerged when the Tshwane municipality was still under administration.

At the time, administrator Mpho Nawa and acting city manager Mmaseabata Mutlaneng said they were not aware that the metro had procured services from the alleged providers because they were not notified by the relevant officials.

“At the time we had various NGOs offering food parcels and other goods,” said Mutlaneng.

“We saw no need to procure services as we had our own food bank and other support assisting these homeless shelters.”

She said it was found that “they did not go through proper supply chain management processes”.

Mutlaneng said three ongoing investigations were being done by the Hawks, the SIU and the Tshwane metro into the issue.

She said the metro’s preliminary investigation uncovered discrepancies in the number of beneficiaries catered for versus the actual number of beneficiaries accommodated at shelters.

Mutlaneng at the time remarked that the metro was expecting arrests to be made in the matter.

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