By Craig Kotze
ELM’s acting Municipal Manager (MM) Dithaba Oupa Nkoane – fingered in an explosive internal corruption report on a mammoth irregular security contract worth almost R300 million – will know his fate this week if the matter is taken further at a council meeting as expected.
The Comperio report shows Nkoane – sent by the Gauteng Provincial Government to clean up a corruption-riddled ELM – is allegedly the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing and should be held personally accountable for almost R40million in irregular spending on a security contract he extended.
Ironically, if ELM council convenes a Disciplinary Board on the findings and recommendations of the Comperio report, it will be an as-yet unsuspended Nkoane himself as MM who must convene such a board despite being implicated in the report himself.
A special Council meeting was convened last Friday – but without mentioning the report specifically on the circulated agenda – but was cancelled by the council Speaker at the last moment, ostensibly to accommodate a visit by Deputy President David Mabuza to the Vaal.
However, a political upset to plans to both suspend and convene a Disciplinary Board on Nkoane could yet happen if corrupt councillors from various political parties support Nkoane, said informed political sources.
Klippies Kritzinger, CEO of the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) has warned the Comperio report cannot be regarded as the full and definitive picture of endemic corruption at the financially-strapped municipality.
Kritzinger has called for the suspension of Nkoane not only on the Comperio report, but for gross dereliction of duty on his mismanagement of the smart meter programme which has also cost ELM close to R30million.
“The Comperio Report is only the tip of the corruption iceberg at ELM – and the Hawks need to investigate wider, deeper and further back than the scope of this very late Comperio report.
“ELM has been dysfunctional for many years and with an annual budget of about R6 billion, where have all the tens-of billions gone over the years? It has certainly not been spent on service delivery. Yet Comperio only mentions certain contracts in the very recent past of about only R900million.
“At best, Comperio’s report is but a very late beginning – if Council now this week does the right thing and orders a Disciplinary Board convened – to what should be a multi-stakeholder process to achieve baseline functionality and financial viability at ELM,” said Kritzinger.
The Comperio report in Ster/VaalWeekblad’s possession, lists suspected irregular contracts and implicates not only Nkoane, but also some other former Municipal Managers, in addition to former Executive Mayor Simon Mofokeng and former Chief Financial Officer Brendon Scholtz, recently deceased.
The Comperio report has identified the following contracts as the basis for further investigation/action by ELM and the council:
 Mafoko Security Services – involving Nkoane personally R271834 906.73 ((2014-19)
 Vaal Toyota full maintenance contract (R45 million): 2008-August 19
 Fleetmatics supply and delivery of compactors: R112 452 236.31(2013-19)
 Amasondo Fleet Services: R29 692 869.79 (2005-19)
 Fleet Horizon – leasing vehicles for Mayor and Speaker: R1 873 187.52 (2016-19}
 Sungu Sungu – GLB and Boltshepi landfill site and equipment supply R58 437 918. 81 (2014-17)
 Fleet Data Technologies: Info Process and integrated systems: R101 055 220.27 (2006-19)
 Brilliant Telecommunications: R42 400 399.74 (2015-19)
 BBP Security Services/Wesizwe Risk Solutions: Supply etc alarm systems and armed response R27 992 741.93 (2015-19)
 Gijima AST Holdings: Cell Phones: R25 800 333.92 (2003-19)
 Aurecon SA: Verification of largest electricity accounts/metering: R2 478 038.87 (2016-19)
 Red Ants: Irregular Expenditure Supply Chain Management Unit: R103 684 144.58 (2013-19)
 Meso Automation: Copy Scanning and Fax Services: R7 146 264.58 (2016/19)
 Dikopane Project Management Services: about R7million but not fully quantified: (2017/19)