Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has appointed a new Interim Board for the Lepelle Northern Water Board in Limpopo.
A statement from the Ministry lists the new appointments, citing administrative dysfunction of the previous Board as the reason for the change.
Sisulu says Limpopo needs a functional water supply to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“The Lepelle Board has been mired in controversy long before I had anything to do with water. Chief amongst them is their management of the Giyani project. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has already started working on the corruption in the Water Board in Lepelle.”
“It is not possible for us to continue in the way they are, especially with the extreme shortage of water in Limpopo – in a time like this with COVID-19, when everybody is required to wash their hands and water is an absolute necessity. It has become completely untenable and unacceptable,” adds the Minister.
Lepelle Northern Water Board CEO dismisses suspension suggestions
Meanwhile, the CEO of Lepelle Northern Water Board, Phineas Legodi, has denied that he has been placed on suspension.
Legodi was reportedly suspended last week, over allegations of maladministration and corruption.
He says he has requested clarity on the matter.
“I am not on suspension, I am still a substantive employee of the Board. The Department and the Ministry issued a media statement to say I am on suspension. I immediately wrote a letter through my lawyers, seeking clarity on how I could be on suspension outside my knowledge.”
“The claims and allegations leveled against me … the only competent body that can put me on suspension upon following the proper process is the Board, not the Minister. It is also startling that up to today, the Minister continues peddling information that I am on suspension,” explains Legodi.
The video below, is an interview with Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Phineas Legodi on issues at Lepelle Northern Water:
