The Tshwane metro’s internal investigation into alleged dustbin irregularities in Ward 98 has found no evidence to support claims made by Ward 98 Councillor Mickey Van der Westhuizen.

This has revealed a sharp contrast between the councillor’s assertions and the municipality’s official findings.

The controversy began when Van der Westhuizen reshuffled ward committee portfolios after raising concerns about one committee member’s conduct.

According to the councillor, a ward committee member responsible for the agriculture portfolio had allegedly collected money from residents for dustbin deliveries, a service the metro provides free of charge.

He told Rekord that residents were reportedly asked to pay R100, which waste management officials indicated could constitute fraud.

“It has come under my attention that one of the ward committee members was working outside the legal boundaries of his portfolio.

“He asked residents for money, saying it was for diesel, and according to the metro’s Waste Management Division, this can be seen as fraud. Even if the intention was good, in the eyes of the law, it is still fraud.”

Van der Westhuizen stated that he had consulted the Office of the Speaker before announcing a reshuffle and wrote to the Speaker requesting a formal investigation.

The metro’s findings, however, sharply contradict the councillor’s claims.

According to metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo the Waste Division conducted a full internal investigation into the matter.

“Interim findings show that there were no bins that disappeared from the system. All bins reached their intended recipients, and all business processes were adequately fulfilled.”

Mashigo added that the metro has robust safeguards in place through its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

“The metro has an approved SOP for the distribution of bins in all regions. This process safeguards against losses,” he said.

The metro also stated that this is the first time the Waste Division has encountered a complaint of this nature.

Mashigo confirmed that residents are not required to pay any transport fee for dustbin collection or replacement, and that no previous complaints of residents being charged R100 have been recorded.

“Following an investigation, the metro could not find any grounds for instituting disciplinary action,” he said.

Mashigo encouraged residents to report any suspicious activities for further investigation.

The Speaker of Tshwane Council, Mncedi Ndzwanana, further indicated that he was not aware of any formal reshuffling of Ward 98’s committee members.

Ndzwanana said ward committee members are elected, not appointed or reallocated by councillors.

The metro’s Ward Committee By-law (2022) outlines a strict governance framework for appointments, portfolio allocations, and internal functioning.

He noted that ward committees must meet between four and 10 times per financial year, with reports submitted for oversight.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@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 or TikTok.