Millions of Rands have been frittered away at Umzinyathi District Municipality because of dodgy and open-ended contracts and fraudulent procurement practices.
Addressing a media briefing last week recently installed Mayor, Mthandeni Ngubane, said ‘since 2011 (when the ANC took over the District), Umzinyathi has been beset with challenges because of corruption.
“Some senior officials were either expelled, suspended, while others resigned because of malpractice and corrupt activities around the issuing of tenders. Money intended to help the poor was diverted to serve the interest of a few managerial culprits.”
The projects that were compromised include the main functions of the District Municipality – water and sanitation.
“It is very disturbing to know that various forensic investigations were conducted to address these allegations. Despite this, there has never been any feedback following investigations into these ‘suspicious activities,” added the Mayor.
The following issues will be investigated: recommendations from previous forensic investigations will be considered, capital project tenders that have been awarded, skills audit, assets register, contracts of service providers and irregular and wasteful expenditure.
“Other contracts have no tenders while others have no end date.
“We understand R22-million was spent on operations and maintenance but there’s no proof as to where all that money went.”
Around R3-million was spent on water tanks, but some communities still do not have access to water he added. “Allegations are that some contracts do not have terms of reference; those contracts are corrupt in nature as there are no checks and balances eg. operations and maintenance contracts, water tanker contracts and water and sanitation projects like the Craigieburn, Sompofu and Makhabeleni water schemes.
He revealed that ‘millions have been paid to contractors but there is no evidence that any work was done’.
Mayor Ngubane promised to look into ‘every loophole and fix it.’
The Forensic Investigation will be conducted during the next three months. He urged municipal workers to stop trying to get ‘their contractors in to do municipal work.’
“Employees should have no interest in contractors.
“They must do their municipal job.”
After the Forensic Investigation, the Mayor promised to hold a Mayoral Imbizo to hear the public’s grievances.
