Durban - MSUNDUZI Municipality staff members implicated in allegations of corruption detailed in a forensic report tabled recently will have to face the music.
In a special full council meeting last week, municipal manager Madoda Khathide was granted permission to form a team to assess a forensic report by Morar Incorporated with a view to formulating disciplinary charges. Khathide is expected to report back to the council on a quarterly basis on the progress in disciplining those implicated.
The Morar report investigated the city’s dealings regarding major electricity infrastructure projects. It dealt with allegations regarding the municipal spend of R290 million on “emergency” electricity infrastructure projects.
The report highlighted tender irregularities, failure to follow procurement processes, and made damning allegations against former municipal manager Mxolisi Nkosi and former mayor Chris Ndlela, and other officials.
Sources in the council said while those implicated should answer to the allegations, they were concerned about the timing of the release of the report.
They alleged that they feared the head of the Internal Audit Unit, Petrus Mahlaba, could be a target. They said Mahlaba had been a thorn in the side of some in the municipality because of reports of wrongdoing he had compiled. These included his investigation into the purchase of land for a cemetery in which the municipality overpaid by R20m.
“The report dates back to 2016 and only in 2020 are we acting on it. It’s clear that it’s meant to target Mahlaba,” said a source who declined to be named.
Another source said: “It is possible that he could be a victim, but at the same time there is evidence of the allegations against him.”
Contacted for comment, Mahlaba said he had conducted many sensitive investigations that had angered a lot of people. He denied the allegations detailed in the forensic report, including that he had concealed information, and said the report had failed to take into account important details.
Nkosi said he had not been contacted by the municipality and would wait for them to take action.
“The intention seems to be to inflict maximum reputational damage.” Ndlela declined to comment. Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla confirmed that the council had granted Khathide the power to act on the report’s recommendations.
He disputed the allegation that some staff were being targeted.
Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Senzo Mzila said there had been engagement with the council, and the department would soon take the public into its confidence on the actions taken.