Council members at Ray Nkonyeni Municipality want the R35-million ongoing probe of alleged irregular expenditure by former Ezinqoleni Municipality completed before the end of the financial year.
Councillors told a representative from Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs that the investigation needed to be finalised as it had been going on for too long.
During council, Ezinqoleni councillors were chased out of the meeting while a report was being given by Cogta.
It was reported that the investigation was almost finished after investigators from Cogta had conducted interviews with those who had been part of Ezinqoleni Municipality’s procurement processes.
A councillor from Ezinqoleni said they did not understand why they were being chased out of the meeting as they had nothing to do with misspent monies.
“I’m just a councillor. What do I know about procurement processes? Maybe it’s the officials? I don’t know but I am not guilty. That’s why I have told Cogta everything I know and I hope my name will be cleared,” said the councillor.
The mayor, Councillor Cynthia Mqwebu, said what needed to be done now was to conduct physical verification of these projects that were being probed.
“This process is vital to ascertain the nature and extent of work done as well as the material used versus the amount spent.”
Municipal manager Max Mbili added that Cogta had acquired a new quantity surveyor to carry out the physical inspection,. Once this had been completed, a final report, backed by evidence, would be issued.
