The community of Merafong has accused its local municipal manager of wasting money on paying a contractor millions to write a concept document and print it.
The contractor was also allegedly paid to travel to a sink hole.
These claims surfaced this week when community leaders met EFF and MK Party leaders in this mining town near Carltonville.
In the documents Sunday World has seen, the municipal manager, Dumisani Mabuza, and his CFO Palesa Makhubela signed off on two requests for payment by Polokwane-based company, JMS Projects to develop a concept document on filling a sinkhole in the local township, Khutsong.
Children could be swallowed up
The sinkhole opposite Hlanganani primary school formed several years ago.
In January, Mabuza and Makhubela signed off on two requests to the municipality for payment totalling R5 million for the filling of the sinkhole.
The first payment of R2.5 million was requested for and approved by Mabuza and Makhubela and paid to JMS a few days later.
The invoice, which Sunday World has also seen, indicates that JMS billed Merafong R1.7 million for the concept document and viability, R7 000 for printing and binding of copies and R7 000 for travel expenses from Limpopo to Gauteng.
The invoice was sent to Merafong on 23 January.
The Khutsong community had been up in arms claiming that the sinkhole was a ticking time bomb as it posed a danger to kids and adults alike in the area.
The invoice also indicates that Mabuza signed as executive manager, allegedly without authority, to get the funds released to JMS.
Paid though no work was done
The company was paid more than R2.5 million despite that no work appears to have been done.
On Thursday, Sunday World visited the sinkhole and found it still unfilled. It also didn’t appear there ever had been a contractor on site.
Community leader Happy Lefakane told Sunday World that the municipal manager was responsible for the payment but could not explain what the money was paid for.
“Mabuza needs to explain what the money was paid for as this sinkhole is still here and it is cracking more. Our children are at the risk of being swallowed by this sinkhole that has cost the municipality R5 million. We have been asking questions, but we are not getting answers,” said Lefakane.
What was R5m paid for
Lefakane’s sentiments were supported by the EFF and MK Party leaders in the area.
“We don’t sleep [well] because of sinkhole. The worst part is that this sinkhole is near the school. Parents are also worried that their kids will be swallowed by this sinkhole. Mabuza claimed to have dealt with the sinkhole as he said that it was closed, but you can see for yourself, this thing is not closed. He needs to tell us what he did with the R5 million,” said EFF leader Motseki Kgotsana.
MK Party member and the community leader, Tshidiso Masike said that the sinkhole was causing residents serious stress.
“This sinkhole is causing us trauma. Mabuza must take responsibility for this mess,” said Masike.
Makhubela said that she was not an engineer nor working on the ground to know anything about work done on site.
“I don’t know as I don’t deal with projects. It’s my job to sign for all the projects at the municipality as CFO. I only deal with compliance and projects are the responsibility of the various departments in the municipality. The story you are talking about is that engineers are doing designs. I don’t deal with construction. That company that was appointed is working as a consultant on designs. Go speak to the municipal manager regarding this,” said Makhubela.
Mabuza did not respond to our questions hence the story will be updated once such response is received.
