EFF calls for removal of ‘lame duck’ Tshwane mayor

The EFF has called for the removal of what it calls the “lame duck” DA coalition government in Tshwane, following the findings of a recent Auditor-General report on “misused municipal financial resources”.

In turn, the DA has dismissed the EFF’s claims of R10-billion being “stolen” as outright “lies” and blamed any irregularities on the municipality’s previous CFO and acting city manager.

ALSO READ: Tshwane municipality lays criminal charges against its former CFO

“We will aggressively pursue the administration and the lame-duck mayor on the incriminating findings outlined in the report,” said the party’s regional chairperson, Obakeng Ramabodu.

“To this end, the EFF will request for a special council sitting to deliberate on the report.”

The EFF further accused the DA-led coalition government of failing Tshwane residents.

Their call follows the Auditor-General’s recent leaked adverse audit opinion report.

Ramabodu said metro mayor Randall Williams and finance MMC Peter Sutton should be held liable and be prosecuted.

He said the EFF will champion the removal of the mayor through a motion of no confidence.

“The irregularities in the report reflect corruption of the highest order. Regretfully, this happens in a municipality that claims not to have funds for the delivery of basic services to residents.”

Finance MMC Peter Sutton, however, slammed the allegations as baseless, saying that the report was ”not a political but an administrative matter”.

“The former CFO and previous acting city manager prepared and submitted the financial statements. Not me. The EFF is also lying about R10-billion irregular expenditure which was apparently stolen. This is a lie,” said Sutton.

He said that the EFF should take its fight to both the former CFO and acting city manager “as they were both responsible for the outcome of the report”.

In the report, the Auditor-General implicated municipal officials and councillors who allegedly benefitted illegally benefited from supply chain management.

Mayor Williams said his coalition-led government has started the process of rectifying the matter by looking into appointing professional external auditors who will provide support to the auditing process.

“This recruitment process has been initiated and will be concluded in the first half of this year. We have already begun the implementation of these steps and will continue to do so over the course of the coming year.”

The municipality came under the spotlight when it failed to disclose all irregular expenditures incurred as expected by the Municipal Financial Act and filed an incorrect budget.

ALSO READ: Leaked AG report flags Tshwane for ‘serious irregularities’

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram