The appointment of five senior managers at the Mahikeng municipality in the North West has sparked criticism from opposition parties, who argue that thorough vetting could have been done before the appointments.
This week, the municipality announced the appointment of Ikotlhaeng Khesa as chief financial officer, Tiro Seleke as community services director, Nokuthula Phamodi as socio-economic development, corporate support services director Lekgoa Mahole, and Ofentse Masibi as director of public safety.
Five managers appointed this week
This comes after more than two years without top managers in that municipality.
“The Mahikeng Local Municipal Council is elated to inform residents that senior management now has people who will lead the institution and be accountable to council,” said the institution’s spokesperson, Jonny Nkoane.
Over the past years, the Auditor General has been raising concerns about the non-appointment of substantive senior managers, particularly the CFO at the municipality, raising adverse audit findings related to the irregular appointment of acting positions in the vacancies.
Last September, Sunday World reported that Mahikeng municipal manager, Advocate Dineo Mongwaketse, signed off appointment letters of tenders worth more than R100-million to two companies linked to the then manager in the office of the mayor, Mahole.
Irregular tenders linked to new appointees
Mongwaketse signed off a letter to appoint BLTnP Security on a three-year contract worth R63.188-million in March 2024. In its bid document, BLTnP used Mahole’s physical address in Golfview, Mahikeng, as its company address.
The article further revealed that Mongwaketse also signed off a R29, 571 692.78 tender in February 2023. The tender was for the building of Mmabatho sports facility in favour of Global Extensive Network Project. This is a joint business venture where Alphons Kurata Makhoba, a cousin to Mahole, is a director.
Makhoba is also a director of Mphoentle Investments, a company that Mahole used to own. He resigned from it in February 2023, just days after the contract to build the sports facility was awarded.
Mphoentle Investments is also registered in Mahole’s physical address — the same one used by BLTnP Security.
Makhoba at the time said: “Mahole and I are cousins. And the contract to build the sports facility was awarded to a business joint venture where my company, Global Extensive Network, is involved,” he said.
Makhoba denied knowing about BLTnP Security
Makhoba admitted Mphoentle Investments was Mahole’s company, and “gave it” to him when he joined the government. He denied knowing about BLTnP Security or renting space at Mphoentle Investments offices.
The DA raised concerns over Mahole’s appointment as senior manager for corporate support services.
DA councillor at the municipality, Arista Annadale, said Mahole has a case of corruption against him. So does the municipal manager, Advocate Dineo Mongwaketse.
“The DA last year submitted documents to the Hawks wherein the municipal manager and Mahole are implicated in allegations of nepotism and fraud. This includes the contracts with BLTnP Security and Global Extensive Network Project amounting to about R100 million. It is alleged that Mahole is tied to these companies.
“The municipality appointed BLTnP Security in April 2024 for an amount of R63 188 132.40. This was over a period of three years.
Overpayment running into millions
“This translates to payments of about R1.7-million per month. But it is alleged that the monthly payments made to BLTnP Security exceed R2-million. To date, an overpayment of more than R1.7-million has been made. And if these irregular payments continue, the overpayment will exceed R60-million over the three-year contract period,” the DA said.
Annadale said apart from the case investigated by the Hawks under case number 23/11/2023, Mahole’s perceived irregular appointment as Acting Senior Manager of operations in the Office of the Municipal Manager, while occupying the position of Manager in Mayor Tshepiso Mphehlo’s office, was in contravention of the municipality’s policy on appointments to acting positions.
Appointments still welcomed
Despite DA’s criticism, Nkoane said the appointment will bring stability and lines of accountability. He said it will also make the necessary positive impact and yield results across Mahikeng in terms of service delivery.
“Council wishes to congratulate the newly appointed senior managers. And we urge them to indiscriminately work hard in the services of the people of the city,” he said.
