Limpopo Councillor accused of the ‘worst kind of nepotism under the ANC-government’

The Ethics Committee of the Greater Tzaneen Municipality currently has before it a situation in which a ward councillor stands accused of “the worst kind of nepotism under the ANC-government”.

Ward 34 councillor, of the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Masodi Magareth Letsoalo is being accused by residents for practising nepotism in the allocation of jobs in government-related community projects, Polokwane Review reports.

She is said to have appointed a sizeable number of close family relatives in government projects.

Last Friday, roughly 1 500 residents of Mahlowe, Rasebalane, Khopho, Vhumeni and Longvale marched to the municipal premises to protest against what they called “the worst kind of nepotism ever seen under the ANC-led government”.

Residents leader, Modupi Phalane said that projects, set to change the lives of locals for the better, are only awarded to Lesoalo’s family members. “She is a director of the Golang/Kulani project, which is funded by the national lottery. Its primary objective is to train people and prepare them for the job market,” said Phalane.

He said their investigations, however, showed that Letsoalo appointed her nephew, Simon Setagane as the administrator, his wife Lebo as a data capturer, Maifo Letsoalo as a chief training officer and her younger sister, Matshidiso as a financial officer, he explained.

Phalane claimed that Matshidiso, appointed as a financial officer, only completed Gr 3. He furnished CV with several other appointments made, all of whom are related to the councillor.

EFF member and resident, Sanco Madia, who led the protest march, claimed that a 5,5 km road project in Lephepane, at a cost of R35,5 million, was currently stalling amid allegations of nepotism. The project was to create jobs in construction for unemployed locals.

“The project was halted because the councillor wanted her brother’s daughter to be employed as a Community Liaison Officer. This, despite that the successful candidate is well-qualified, has a good track record and outclassed all his contemporaries. This is daylight robbery. We want the councillor replaced now and not tomorrow by someone who will have the interest of the community at heart and not just her own family and political contacts,” said Madia.

Contacted for comment, Letsoalo told CV she was not the “relevant person to respond to the allegations” and referred the journalist to the municipal spokesperson before hanging up the phone.

Greater Letaba Spokesperson, Nevil Ndlala said the municipality was aware of the allegations levelled against Letsoalo.

“We have forwarded the memorandum of grievances to the Ethics Committee of the municipality to investigate and respond accordingly,” he said.