Cape Town – At least 35 notices were issued in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, to conduct investigations into maladministration, fraud, corruption or any other serious malpractice in municipalities across the country since 2019.
The investigations, which were carried out by service providers, cost the residents of the affected municipalities in seven provinces R17 944 036.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Thembi Nkadimeng revealed this when she responded to parliamentary questions from EFF MP, Laetitia Arries, who asked about the number of municipalities that had been issued with Section 106 notices since January 1, 2019.
Arries also enquired about the names of the investigative service providers that probed the municipalities, and the total cost paid to them.
In her response, Nkadimeng said only seven provinces submitted responses to the questions.
“We are still awaiting responses from KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces” she said.
Nkadimeng also said 35 municipalities were issued with Section 106 notices since January 2019.
Her response showed that 15 municipalities were issued with notices in the Eastern Cape.
Of the 15 notices, 14 were done internally and one in Buffalo City Metro was conducted by Integrated Forensic Accounting Firm to the tune of R750 000.
In the Western Cape, six Section 106 notices were issued to five municipalities, which included George Local, Central Karoo District, Kannaland Local, Matzikama Local and Beaufort West Local, for investigation by five service providers to the combined cost of R5 416 490.
Five Section 106 notices were issued in the Free State and the investigations were all done internally with no service provider being appointed.
In Gauteng, two notices were issued and the services provider appointed for both instances was Advocate William Mokhare, SC, assisted by two advocates. It too place in Sedibeng District Municipality and West Rand Local Municipality and cost total of R4 869 392.96.
There were six notices issued in Limpopo and all the investigations were conducted internally.
In Mpumalanga, seven notices were issued in JS Moroka, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Govan Mbeki, Dipaseleng, Nkomazi, Emalahleni and Bushbuckridge Local Municipalities.
The investigations by different service provinces came to a cost of R4 576 484.
Cape Times