Residents of Govan Mbeki Municipality want Hawks to make arrests

Locals are eagerly waiting to see if the Govan Mbeki Municipality’s council will implement the recommendations on the Section 106 forensic investigation report, Ridge Times reports.

They are hopeful that if action will be taken against those implicated in the report, there will also be the possibility of stopping the vicious cycle of corruption in the area.

Mr Mandla Msibi, MEC for Cogta, tabled the summary of the report on 6 October and it was sent out to all councillors.

Council was given 14 days to adopt the report and another 21 days to implement the recommendations.

The recommendations were tabled before the council on Tuesday, 20 October, and it was agreed that Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, speaker, and Ms Elizabeth “Lizzy” Tshabalala, acting municipal manager draft an action plan which will be tabled in council on Friday, 30 October.

Senior politicians including the executive mayor, Ms Thandi Ngxonono, senior officials and local tenderpreneurs are implicated in the report.

Ms Ngxonono has, since the report was tabled, taken special leave. The belief is that she is excusing herself from being part of the processes.

There are also rumours that she has resigned, however she denied these rumours and told Ridge Times that for now, she is merely on special leave.

Mr Zuma said council is legally bound to implement the recommendations.

“The report has been adopted and we took a resolution that the acting municipal manager, the appointed team and I draft the action plan.

“We have no choice but to implement these recommendations. A scouncil, we are committed to ensuring that residents received adequate and good service delivery.

“We allow the law to take its course and a law enforcement agency such as the Hawks will intervene where there is alleged corruption.”

He urged locals to have confidence in the council that it will do everything according to the book and that those who are implicated in corruption, will face the law as recommended in the report.

The report revealed that there is a huge political interference in the administration of the municipality.

It revealed that some politically affiliated individuals were given jobs and tenders without following proper procedures.

According to the report some got into senior positions without as much as a matric certificate or the minimum required qualifications.

Several companies were listed to have been preferred in getting tenders and that some senior politicians were on their payroll.

Residents said they want nothing but to see those implicated facing the arm of the law.

“These people have been stealing from the poor for years. They have no conscience. It is time that they face the consequences of corruption.

“As residents, we are closely following this matter and we cannot wait to see the Hawks visiting our town,” said a resident.

Opposition parties welcomed the report and said that they will monitor the process to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.

The terms of reference include non-implementation of council resolutions, the abuse of municipal property and assets, advertisement of tenders without following legislation and awarding of bursaries without following procedures.

During the council meeting Mr Dan Nhlapho, acting executive mayor, announced that the Gert Sibande District Municipality has appointed Ms V Nkatha, as the acting chief financial officer for Govan Mbeki Municipality.