ELM security guard and official caught in kick-back syndicate

VANDERBIJLPARK.- An Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) investigating team in the Public Safety Department uncovered alleged corruption in the Revenue Department of the municipality last week.
Working with law enforcement agencies, it is said that an investigating team from the municipality probed allegations that ELM employees in the department were demanding money from unsuspecting residents who were in the process of receiving funds from their municipal accounts.
The officials, it is said, would call unsuspecting residents to come and collect the refunds and then, illegally demand kick-backs.
A successful sting was carried out last week by the investigating team working with intelligence officers. This led to internal charges being laid against an ELM employee and a security guard after the investigators intercepted a handover of R 10 000 from a pensioner to the municipal official involved in the kick-backs syndicate.
The pensioner had apparently received a refund of over R48 000 on her account and the ELM officials reportedly demanded a R20 000 ‘fee’ from her.
“The municipality is in the process of registering a criminal case which may lead to an arrest of officials whose names are known to the municipality, said ELM’s Municipal Manager Dithabe Nkoane further adding that this ongoing investigation falls in line with a commitment made by ELM’s Executive Mayor, Gift Moerane made during his inauguration speech earlier this year. “We will continue working hard to fight corruption and maladministration wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head, we owe it to our people to do so.”
Investigations continue.