Picture: The Greater Taung Local Municipality mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe
By OBAKENG MAJE
Corruption, maladministration and malfeasance allegations continue to show their ugly head at the embattled Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM).
This comes after allegations that the municipality has paid the Diphetogo Cleaning and Security company R100 000 just to clean the municipal offices.
The municipality allegedly rendered a tender for emergency cleaning of the municipal offices after the members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), which is the largest union in local government in South Africa embarked on a protest.
It is alleged that, during protests, feaces and garbage were speckled into the streets including municipal offices.
However, SAMWU secretary in Greater Taung, Mpho Thompson questioned the amount and alleged that this was just a way to loot the municipal coffer. Thompson said, some municipal officials are hell-bent to loot the municipal coffer and they will do anything.
“You will understand that there was no violence during our protests. When we were on strike in December 2022, the municipality brought in 10 bouncers, however, the invoice says they were 35.
“The question is, why they were appointed in the first place? Those bouncers are still there and we want to understand why. They are only there so that, some municipal officials can continue to loot the municipal coffer,” he said.
Thompson further said, as SAMWU, they are against anything that takes away money from the municipal coffer, while they are still owed their danger allowance money.
He added that, the municipality continues to spend money fruitlessly.
“Our relationship with the municipality is soured due to the danger allowance issue. This was on the basis that, a certain director misled the council on Local Labour Forum’s (LLF) view on the danger allowance issue.
“There is an investigation report with recommendations, yet it was deferred without any implementation. I am surprised that, the council wanted the resolution to supersede the investigation report. The investigation report serves as the legal opinion until contested,” said Thompson.
The Director of Corporate Services at the Greater Taung Local Municipality, Dikagisho Mokoma was implicated in the Matshego Ramagaga Attorneys report. The independent law firm was appointed by the municipality to investigate allegations of misconduct against Mokoma after she allegedly misled the previous council on danger allowance for the COVID-19 pandemic.
This resulted in the municipality ‘illegally’ paying senior managers and directors a monthly R2500 as danger allowance, instead of a standard flat rate of R1500.
According to the Magagane report, the municipality has lost R508 500 due to Mokoma’s alleged conduct.
Meanwhile, the municipal mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe, and municipality spokesperson, Ricky Oliphant failed to respond to our phone calls and WhatsApp messages regarding the matter before publishing this article.
*The article will be updated when new information arrives.
The Guardian 