Is there a snake in the grass on stand and land sales in VKLM?
“However, the municipal financial records show that a total of 87 stands were sold during January 2018 and December 2021.”
The DA in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality (VKLM) has uncovered irregularities in the selling of stands and land around the municipality.
According to a media statement released on May 3 by the VKLM DA caucus leader, Diane Bath, the DA has uncovered discrepancies in the selling of stands and land.
“This information is contained in a Land Sales Verification Report,” said Bath.
The purpose of the report is to review compliance with Section 14 of the Municipal Finance Management Act No. 56 of 2003.
“According to this section, the municipality issued a public notice calling all legal entities who bought properties from the municipality to submit relevant documents for their purchase of land.”
The request resulted in 66 legal entities coming forward with information about the sales.
“However, the municipal financial records showed they sold 87 stands between January 2018 and December 2021,” Bath added.
She further stated findings published in the report mentioned the property locations are not clear as the deed of sale does not mention the specific township where it is situated.
One deed of sale is on a property that does not exist and ten others have disputed for having more than one claimant to the stands.
Bath added some properties have deeds of sale agreements between the buyers and the municipality, but no payment was made into the municipality’s account or paid at the cashiers.
“Other payments have allegedly been made into the bank accounts of municipal officials or people say they paid municipal officials cash for stands.”
Land, which holds a community asset, the tennis court, has also been sold.
Bath further said the report also indicated that 66 properties were submitted for verification and seven of the property sales were not part of the scope of the verification.
In the media statement, Bath said the report further stated three municipal officials signed the deeds of sale agreements as per their scope and practice of their work as municipal managers or acting municipal managers for the properties sold during the period under review.
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“The DA has learnt that the municipality has since opened an investigation against its officials and certain councillors implicated in this matter.
“Nothing has come out of this investigation yet, despite the damning revelations made in this report where revenue was lost. The municipal manager has completely snubbed the report’s recommendations.”
Bath said the DA has written to Vusi Buda, the executive mayor, to urgently act on the recommendations of the report and appoint a team of special investigators to trace the revenue generated and lost through the process of land sales.
Streeknuus emailed the municipal manager, Thabo Mashabela, for his comment about the report. At the time of going to print, no feedback was received yet.
