An Mpumalanga municipality has rejected the resignation of a senior clerk who is accused of stealing R1.3m that was meant to be paid to Eskom.
The Lekwa local municipality, seated in Standerton, said it became aware of the theft in July, and when confronted, the woman tendered her resignation.
The municipality is yet to open a criminal case against the implicated individual but has said that internal investigations are underway.
The woman is alleged to have paid the money in one transaction into her personal Capitec Bank account. The money was meant to pay the council’s Eskom debt.
From December last year, the Lekwa municipality owed Eskom around R5.2bn due to the municipality’s failure to collect outstanding payments from consumers, which stems from poor financial management, inadequate cash flow and interference with credit control policies.
As a result, the municipality is often unable to meet its financial obligations, including paying salaries and other creditors.
We have urgently written to the executive mayor, Sifiso Mngomezulu, to have the legal team of the municipality seek a court order to freeze accounts of the clerk.
— DA councillor Sithi Silosini
The issue of the theft was briefly discussed during last week’s council meeting, when a preliminary internal audit was presented to councillors. The municipality has declined to release the name of the employee despite the protests of councillors. The audit report was not given to the councillors, as the municipality claimed it was a preliminary report.
The DA said it was disappointed by the municipality’s dragging its feet in investigating the matter.
“We have urgently written to the executive mayor, Sifiso Mngomezulu, to have the legal team of the municipality seek a court order to freeze accounts of the clerk. However, we have not gotten a response yet,” said DA councillor Sithi Silosini.
Municipal spokesperson Lubabalo Majenge said, “The municipality is aware of the matter. The employee is suspended from the employ of the municipality pending the finalisation of the investigation or disciplinary proceedings.
“On the criminal case, the municipality is finalising the compilation of affidavits to open the criminal case.”
He said they were also investigating if other employees were involved in the alleged theft and how far it goes back.
He further said the employee had a previous transgression in 2017 for a different matter and had been subjected to a disciplinary hearing and later received a warning.
Sowetan
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.