| On 5 years ago

Lesedi municipal manager assigned bodyguards after death threats

By Kaunda Selisho

The constant demand to see the acting Municipal Manager of Lesedi Municipality in Sedibeng District Gugu Thimane by a group of heavily armed men who keep storming the municipal offices has led to Thiman being assigned personal protection.

The men have accused her of awarding a R50 million tender to a company known as Bravo Span 90 Close Cooperation without following the proper tender process.

Eyewitness News (EWN) reports that the municipality has not been functioning for five weeks due to the men’s demands that the municipal office be shut down in light of the allegations against Thimane.

Africa News 24-7 reportedly broke the story in which Thimane was accused of flouting all supply chain regulations and the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) to manipulate a multi-million rand contract which was awarded without going out on tender.

This prompted the Democratic Alliance to both issue a statement and call on Gauteng MEC for COGTA and Human Settlements Lebogang Maile to investigate the allegations.

“MEC Maile must investigate whether the awarding of this tender by Thimane was irregular and whether proper tender processes were followed. We call for the immediate suspension of Thimane while the investigation is pending,” read part of the statement.

According to EWN, the Democratic Alliance council now says Thimane is innocent and will be vindicated by the Human Settlements department’s probe on the matter.

Following the threat of protest action by residents in the area last week, the municipality has set time aside next week Tuesday for an urgent council meeting to allow Thimane to table a report to council and rebut the allegations against her.

The municipality’s mayor Lerato Maloka confirmed the meeting and added that she, in her capacity as mayor, would brief Maile about the outcomes of the council meeting by Friday next week.

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