The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Oageng Molapisi has invoked Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act to investigate allegations of maladministration and malfeasance at the embattled Madibeng Local Municipality in Brits.
Molapisi has appointed a law firm to investigate amongst other things, focus on irregular appointment of municipal officials and service providers, failure by council to convene statutory meetings as prescribed by legislation and rules of order of council.
The Department’s HOD Dr. Ben Bole told YOU FM Newshour that the MEC informed the municipal council of his decision earlier on Tuesday.
“The MEC has invoked that provision in the systems Act for the simple reason that there was a whistle-blower who has written to the COGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, alleging issues of maladministration in Madibeng.
As a result of that the Minister has requested the MEC to intervene, hence his decision to decisively in terms of invoking Section 106, sub-section B of the municipal systems Act, to allow the investigation to be instituted to get to the bottom of the allegations raised by the whistle-blower,” said Bole.
Furthermore, Bole said that the MEC had personally met with the entire council of Madibeng and introduced to it a law firm that has been appointed to investigate the allegations.
“The allegations are of a serious nature, and we expect councillors and officials of the municipality to cooperate and assist in providing the necessary information that will assist the investigation
“The expectation is that within 90-days this task must be completed and the MEC be provided with the report, which will of course be shared with the Municipality, the Provincial legislature, as well as the National Council of Provinces, and Minister Hlabisa,” said Molapisi during a council sitting.
In addition, the Department said that the investigations will cover the last five years to uncover how long these allegations have been happening at the municipality.
“The scope of investigations is clear, and investigators have been instructed to go as far back as five years to date.
We’ve got nine areas that the MEC has advised the investigators to probe as part of their terms of reference.
The MEC has also made a call to all officials and councillors or members of the public that they are free to get in touch with the investigators so that the information can be looked at,” Bole explained.
Meanwhile, the department said that the Executive Mayor and his council will remain at work during the investigations.
“That’s the expectation from the MEC, that there must be full cooperation from all councillors including the Executive Mayor, basically the whole municipal employees to cooperate with the investigations.
Remember this is an investigation based on allegations so they must be tested, and of course once the investigations are concluded there will be specific recommendations that the MEC will expect to come out of that investigation.
If anyone is implicated in these allegations, they must be held accountable,” warned Bole.
