Councillors sitting on the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) at Ray Nkonyeni Municipality have threatened to resign from the committee if the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) fails to conclude its investigation and present its report into the former Ezinqoleni Municipality’s alleged R35- million irregular expenditure.
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The money was allegedly spent by the former Ezinqoleni Municipality during its merger with the-then Hibiscus Coast Municipality (to form the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality).
Officials at the municipality had reportedly spent the money in just one month before the municipal systems were consolidated.
Councillors told municipal manager Max Mbili that they were getting fed up with the delays after Cogta officials did not show up to present the findings at the council meeting as previously promised.
Councillors pointed out they had worked tirelessly to compile information and had conducted site visits to evaluate all the projects on which the money had allegedly been spent.
However, Mr Mbili said Cogta was obliged to follow ‘internal protocol’ before the report could be released, pointing out that Cogta MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube needed to look at the findings before they were released..
Disgruntled councillors hit back, saying they were tired of the wait and questioned the motives behind the delay.
“It’s very surprising that suddenly there are protocols to follow when the report must be released. Cogta’s no-show is also very strange, considering that they’ve never missed previous meetings. Are they protecting certain individuals who might be implicated in the report? asked one councillor.
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