North West MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs Saliva Molapisi has directed the Madibeng Local Municipality to enforce the implementation findings of a forensic report that uncovered irregular staff appointments and unlawful procurement practices.
However, the process would exclude the implementation of the findings against an IT service provider which interdicted the MEC and the council from discussing the report as pertaining to it.
The provincial department is opposing the interdict application in court. The irregular appointments under investigation included that of municipal manager Quiet Kgatla and officials and staff allegedly related to mayor Douglas Maimane.
Forensic report exposes widespread misconduct
The damning report, compiled by a team appointed by Molapisi last year on the instruction of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, uncovered extensive irregularities within the municipality.
These included duplicated payments to service providers, nepotism, fruitless expenditure, non-compliance with grant conditions and irregular appointments of contractors, including security companies.
The irregular appointments of service providers allegedly did not follow existing supply chain processes.
About the Author
