Tebogo Msimanga |
Democratic Alliance MP, Kingsol Chabalala says the Emfuleni Local Municipality must recover all monies from the 31 officials that were identified as being responsible for irregular expenditure and other irregularities, following the findings of several forensic investigation reports.
According to Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile, six forensic investigations were conducted in Emfuleni since 2010, of these investigations conducted from 2011 to 2015, and one investigation was conducted between 2018 to 2020. These investigations were undertaken by Comperio Forensic Company at a cost of R56.5 million.
Chabalala said 31 Emfuleni officials were identified as being responsible for the irregular expenditure and other irregularities, while 21 of these have left the employ of the municipality. “To date, no employee has been fired and no service provider has been blacklisted.”
CHabalalal added that the money that was spent irregularly could have been used to provide much-needed services to residents.” Service delivery has collapsed in Emfuleni, with residents experiencing intolerable water shortages, low water pressure, a constant electricity crisis, a lack of regular refuse collection, and sewer challenges while there are officials who benefitted illegally from the money meant to better their lives”.
The DA is calling on Emfuleni to resume the process of recovering all the monies from the implicated officials to assist this municipality which is facing a serious cash flow crisis.