Various community structures in Mokopane, Limpopo, say they want political management team of the embattled Mogalakwena Local Municipality to commit itself to return some assets allegedly stolen from the institution.
The community structures, including Sanco, Mokopane Task Team and the Mogalakwena Concerned and Affected Communities, held meeting with political management team led by mayor Frans Mokwele at the municipal’s council chamber on Freedom Day.
The meeting discussed service delivery and municipal property lease agreement issues.
The lease agreements of some municipal property was allegedly done irregularly. The properties such as land and houses have apparently been leased for a period of 20 years instead of five years. There is also a challenge of the appointment of more than 400 people which was allegedly done irregularly.
The spokesperson of the community structures, Baba Selomo, says they believe that money and land have been stolen from the municipality.
“We believe that our money and our land has been stolen by politician and also administration of this municipality we do not have services has we speak now water is a problem as we speak now don’t have roads the issue of more than 400 employees which are paid by the municipality by the money which were supposed to service our people is paying salaries council is not committed or than PMT is not committed ensuring that money that was stolen go back to the public coffers,” says Selomo.
The civic organisation, SANCO chairperson in the Waterberg region, Tlou Sasa, says it seems that the PMT is not willing to meet their demands.
“Actually we are not satisfied with anything here they are playing with us as civic organization it seems they are not willing and ready to answer us on many things giving the issue of garage here and the issue of that illegal hiring a number of people that is 480 close to 700,” says Sasa.
Mogalakwena Mayor, Frans Mokwele, refused to comment on the matter saying he is focusing on bringing stability to the municipality. The municipality has been placed under section 139-b, which enables the provincial government to exercise administrative powers.
Non-compliance in the supply chain and municipal finances resulted in the municipality incurring an unauthorised expenditure of nearly R3 billion in the past three financial years.
