The mayor of Emfuleni local municipality, Hassan Mako has welcomed the arrest of seven people, including municipal employees who were nabbed in connection with allegations of fraud, theft and corruption involving the provision of municipal services.
The arrests, which were carried out by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) following a takedown operation in Vanderbijlpark on Friday, have intensified scrutiny of alleged corruption within the financially troubled municipality in the Sedibeng district.
Zero tolerance on corruption
Mako, a regional treasurer general of the ANC in Sedibeng, who was also installed as a mayor in June, said the arrests sent a strong message that corruption would not be tolerated in Emfuleni.
“We commend law enforcement agencies for their decisive action in addressing alleged corruption and reaffirm the municipality’s unwavering commitment to cooperating fully with investigations and all lawful processes. Should wrongdoing be established through due process, appropriate disciplinary and criminal measures must be instituted,” Mako said.
READ: Another two Emfuleni Municipality employees arrested for fraud and infrastructure tampering
It is stated that the customers were allegedly instructed to pay reconnection fees directly into bank accounts controlled by the suspects, some of whom are already behind bars.
Mako said such alleged conduct was undermining the municipality’s efforts to stabilise its finances.
Illegal power reconnections
According to preliminary information cited by the DA, suspects allegedly devised a scheme in which they posed as authorised municipal officials capable of reconnecting electricity supplies to customers whose services had been disconnected.
“Emfuleni is starting to have a stable financial position by keeping a positive cash balance to meet its short-term obligations, and acts like these of unlawfully reconnecting customers in arrears derail us as an institution,” said Mako, who urged residents and businesses to pay for municipal services and warned against participating in corrupt transactions.
“We must also be unequivocal that corruption is not a one-sided transaction. It takes two parties to make bribery a successful transaction,” Mako said.
“The official who solicits or accepts a bribe is acting unlawfully and betraying the public trust. Equally, the individual or businessperson who offers, promises or pays a bribe is also participating in corruption and must be held accountable.”
The municipality said it respected the constitutional principle that all accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty and would refrain from commenting on the merits of the case while investigations and legal proceedings continue.
It also pledged to cooperate with law-enforcement agencies and strengthen internal controls, consequence management, oversight and ethical leadership.
DA calls for wider probe
However, DA Emfuleni mayoral candidate Kingsol Chabalala has called for the investigation to be widened to uncover everyone allegedly involved in or benefiting from the scheme.
“The DA calls for a broader investigation into the corruption scheme in the Emfuleni Municipality after the arrest of five municipal employees. Law enforcement agencies must ensure that everyone involved in and benefiting from corruption is investigated, arrested, and brought before the courts to face the full might of the law,” Chabalala said.
Chabalala described the arrests as “appalling but hardly surprising”, accusing the ANC-led municipality of being entrenched in corruption and blaming alleged mismanagement for the deterioration of municipal services.
“The predictability of this is impressive, as I have consistently reported on the corruption taking place within the municipality, which has contributed to its collapse and denied residents the quality services they deserve,” he said.
Chabalala also said that the DA would pursue a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and municipal mismanagement if elected.
“As outlined in the DA manifesto, if elected, I will hold municipal employees personally accountable for corruption and mismanagement by enforcing a zero-tolerance approach,” Chabalala said.
READ: Former Emfuleni municipal fleet manager arrested for R16 million tender fraud
Residents urged to report acts of corruption
Meanwhile, the municipality has urged residents who encounter demands for bribes to report them through the appropriate law-enforcement and municipal channels instead of participating in corrupt practices.
Mako said the municipality would continue working with law-enforcement agencies to confront criminality “without fear or favour”.
“The message is clear, we once more welcome any action, including arrests aimed at establishing facts and that corruption will not be tolerated in Emfuleni Local Municipality. Public service is a responsibility, not an opportunity for personal gain,” he said.
- The mayor of Emfuleni local municipality, Hassan Mako has welcomed the arrest of seven people, including municipal employees who were nabbed in connection with allegations of fraud, theft and corruption involving the provision of municipal services.
- The arrests, which were carried out by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) following a takedown operation in Vanderbijlpark on Friday, have intensified scrutiny of alleged corruption within the financially troubled municipality in the Sedibeng district.
- Zero tolerance on corruption Mako, a regional treasurer general of the ANC in Sedibeng, who was also installed as a mayor in June, said the arrests sent a strong message that corruption would not be tolerated in Emfuleni.
- “We commend law enforcement agencies for their decisive action in addressing alleged corruption and reaffirm the municipality’s unwavering commitment to cooperating fully with investigations and all lawful processes.
- Should wrongdoing be established through due process, appropriate disciplinary and criminal measures must be instituted,” Mako said.
