Masoga’s name used in scams

GOVERNMENT officials purporting to be on official business on behalf of roads and transport MEC Lehlogonolo Masoga have been collecting kickbacks from various contractors.

Masoga warned over 50 contractors of this scam run by officials during a meeting on Friday, saying that contractors should be vigilant of these “vultures”. He explained the fraudsters’ modus operandi, saying that the suspects would call an emerging contractor and tell him or her that there was a meeting scheduled, and that Masoga needed money for the ANC’s election campaigns.

Masoga further said this scam had come to his attention when some contractors met with him and enquired whether he had received the kickbacks they had paid.

“I can’t call you asking for money. The salary that I earn is enough. I don’t need financial help. I earn good money as the roads and transport MEC.

“Don’t lie in my name and the name of the ANC. What those people are doing constitutes corruption. Some people take corruption as part of their lives. We don’t need this department to collapse again. If the ruling party wants to raise funds, they do it and people contribute voluntarily.

“We have opened criminal cases and these officials will be arrested,” he vouched.

Masoga went on to say he was also unhappy with the way contractors were dragging their feet in completing projects.

“There are areas where contractors are protesting against poor service delivery, yet the department has already paid the contractor to do the job.

“Some contractors don’t go to the site. Other contractors negotiate variations before they could go to the site. Some contractors violate their employees’ rights by failing to sign a contract with them. The workers have no toilets, no salary advices, no transport and no safety clothing,” he said.

He said the department wanted to empower local small medium and micro enterprises (SMME) and if there was a project to patch potholes, it should be done by these companies.

“Bringing an SMME from Sekhukhune to patch potholes in Vhembe is unacceptable. SMME’s should be based in the particular area that work has to be done. If the main contractor is bringing the SMME from another district, he or she must know that this is considered as corruption.”