A Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) at the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in the North West facing accusations of forcing Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, beneficiaries to allegedly perform domestic chores for her and a ward councillor in Lebotloane (Moretele Local Municipality) has rejected the allegations made against her as a ‘political ploy’ and a strategy to destroy her good name.
Winnie Sono responsible for Special Projects and her accusers appeared before the municipality’s troika committee established to investigate allegations against her on Monday. Speaking on YOUFM Newshour the council speaker Lucky Madiba said that the committee comprised himself, the Executive Mayor Suzan Nthangeni and the single whip to establish facts around the allegations.
“We received these allegations last week Friday, and already today we met with the accused, Sono, and some of the complainants. Sono vehemently rejected the allegations while her accusers (EPWP beneficiaries) insisted that they were cleaning rabbles at the MMC’s private home including at the ward councillor’s home. We have established facts, and the next step would be to compile a report to the council to give us powers to investigate further so that we close the matter, because if serious allegations like this emerge and proven to be true then consequences management must follow,” said Madiba.
In addition, Madiba said that the team still hope to meet other stakeholders and affected parties to hear their side of the story on the allegations.
“We want to act against the MMC once proper investigations have been conducted and all facts gathered to verify the allegations. But the Executive Mayor will also make her own decision at the end of all the investigations. As the speaker, I will also write to the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Oageng Molapisi for advice and direction on the matter, because we don’t have powers to remove any councillor from the council,” added Madiba.
Sono has also dismissed allegations that she coerced the beneficiaries into paying political membership of the ANC.
