Shameful spending

A FORENSIC investigation is underway at the behest of the Mogalakwena municipal council after expenditure of some R1,5 million was spent in the municipal manager’s (MM) absence.

William Kekana was reinstated as MM last week after being illegally suspended in July. On his return to his office last week, a contingency, allegedly gathered together by mayor Tlhalefi Mashamaite, reportedly tried to prevent Kekana from entering the premises.

Kekana also found his office door locked and later discovered that some of the contents of his office had been removed. A charge of theft was laid against mayor Tlhalefi Mashamaite in this regard.

According to Congress of the People (Cope) councillor, Pat Motlohoneng, the council had sat on Friday, October 11, and had made three resolutions: to reinstate Kekana with immediate effect, to renew his contract to 2016 and to have a forensic investigation into the financial expenditure that took place in Kekana’s absence.

While Kekana had been MM, the municipality’s finances improved with three unqualified audit opinions received in this time.

Motlohoneng said it was clear that Kekana would not have approved money being spent the way that it was while he was away.

Municipal spokesperson, Malesela Selokela, said the money in question (some R1,5 million) had been used for municipal outreach programmes (imbizos). He defended the municipality, saying the expenditure was not fruitless expenditure as alleged.

Selokela declined to answer questions posed on the alleged overspending of the budget, referring CV to the manager in the mayors’ office, Asnath Mabosela, who also declined to give comment.

According to Motlohoneng, the outreach programmes that the money was spent on, turned out to be door-to-door election campaigns for the ruling party. “That’s why he (Mashamaite) never invited opposition parties and ANC councillors who differed with his spending policy,” he opined.

Kekana, who is now back behind his desk as MM, told CV this week that there had indeed been overwhelming overspending of money in a fruitless and wasteful manner and confirmed that the process to institute a forensic investigation was underway.

Contacted for comment, Mashamaite first denied having held the election campaigns but later confirmed having done the door-to-door election campaign during the time of the alleged imbizo.

He said he only took advantage of the fact that he was in the area and ended up running the election campaign, adding that this had not been at the expense of the taxpayers.

“It is also not true that my budget vote was overspent, and the monies transferred from other votes is a normal thing that we do in the municipality,” Mashamaite said, before declining to comment any further.