The Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) in Limpopo, which previously lost more than R200m in die VBS saga, has come under fire for exorbitant invoices by service providers for services rendered as far back as 2019.

The municipaity is expected to pay R2 000 for a five litre container of hydraulic oil and more than R16 000 for five Epson ribbon cartridges.

The funds have been rendered outstanding by the municipality’s Apel Regional Office.

The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA) is not happy with these prices. According to the party leader, Seun Mogotji, this is a waste of taxpayer’s money and the matter should be reported and investigated by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.

“FTLM never ceases to amaze with the way they do things. As if losing R231m in the VBS saga was not enough loss and embarrassment, now they want to back-pay a service provider who in 2019 provided the municipality with five litres oil at an obviously inflated cost of R2 000. That must be some magic oil mixed with gold particles for it to cost that much.

“We can’t allow such wasteful expenditure to happen on our watch. The cost of this oil is abnormal, whichever way you look at it, yet FTLM sees nothing wrong and are ready to foot the bill.”

Mogotji says hydraulic oil normally cost R400 or less.

“That was back in 2019, surely the prices were slightly lower then.”

Speaking on national radio Thobela FM, FTLM’s spokesperson, Kubane Tolo, said the municipality has purchased a special hydraulic oil for a grader machine that had a breakdown.