Emfuleni corruption: DA lays criminal charges against municipal officials and contractors

Emfuleni Local Municipality

Emfuleni Local Municipality has been plagued with chronic corruption and maladministration.

Last week I submitted evidence of corruption amounting to R400 million to the Office of the Public Protector.

Today, I stand in defence of the rule of law by laying charges against municipal officials and contractors/service providers whom have allegedly stolen money from the people of Emfuleni.

These individuals cannot be allowed to freely roam the streets of this municipality, province and even country, knowing full well that they committed fraud and left many residents of Emfuleni hungry because of their actions.

Nguna and You-Streets in Emfuleni, which were supposed to have been completed in June 2015, remain untarred and without gravel – despite the Municipality already paying out R14 million to contractors to upgrade these roads.

R18 million was set aside by the Emfuleni Municipality in 2013, but when conducting an oversight visit, the DA found the road to be in a state of ill-repair, with no signs of work taking place.

(Click here to view images of Nguna and You-street).

Tarman Limited, No Limit Development and Engco Consultancy

According to a written reply to a DA question, Cooperative Governance MEC, Paul Mashatile, revealed that Majantsipe Consulting Engineers and Gorohang Plant Hire were paid out just over R1.9million and R12million respectively.

No action has been taken against either contractor, and the municipality instead opted for a forensic investigation.

Of the municipal officials responsible for this project, two resigned and one was redeployed to another department.

(Click here to view the reply).

The Extension 5 community in Emfuleni is left with a broken pipeline and a few gravel rocks, despite a hefty payment of R14 million for an abandoned storm water upgrading project.

The lack of tarred roads and proper storm water infrastructure poses a significant public health and transport risk to this community.

This is the second project whereby service providers have been paid for shoddy, to no work done, on projects commissioned by the Local Council.

The service providers, Tarman Limited, No Limit Development and Engco Consultancy were paid out, R4.9million, R7.1million and R1.8 million respectively.

According to the MEC, the three service providers’ contracts were terminated at different stages in the project.

(Click here to view the reply)

Small businesses out in the cold

The third project in Zone 10, is the Sebokeng Storm Water channel, in which over R23 million was spent, yet there is no storm water channel in sight.

Here we find that No Limit Development is once again implicated. Bigen Africa was the consulting firm on this project and received just over R2.5 million.

(Click here to view the reply)

The municipal officials who have resigned, some transferred to other departments within the council and others no action was taken against are listed below:

•         Sydney Ntlatleng;
•         Sefuthi Moroke;
•         Musa Ngoveni;
•         Sydney Chauke; and
•         Conrad Netshivhale.

The actions of these individuals have left small businesses out in the cold, by extending contracts to friends. The level of corruption in the ANC-run Municipality has reached crisis level.

The DA can bring real, meaningful change to the lives of residents in Emfuleni. We can deliver better services, cut corruption and create jobs for all.

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