The manager of the embattled Mahikeng Local Municipality in the North West Thabo Mokoena has accused the media, including the SABC, of being used to tarnish his reputation, and that of the municipality.
Recent media reports say the municipality has invested R85 million in the VBS Mutual Bank, without following due processes.
The municipality is also reported to be paying R96 000 a month for a non-existent toilet at a local taxi rank following Mokoena’s approval.
Mokoena says the allegations against the municipality are untrue.
“I was told by a certain person, who was the head in the office of the executive mayor… he said to me, the only way to survive reputational damage in Mahikeng, is to give this person at SABC work. He’s a news reporter,” explains Mokoena.
“If you give him work, he’s not going to report bad about you. And that person has sent me the message saying, we’ll be inviting every stakeholder in a hall, where people are going to come, people are going to talk about this thing of VBS or whatever. This is the same person who said I must give him a job,” he adds.
