Build One South Africa (Bosa) has requested the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe corruption allegations levelled against City of Polokwane mayor, John Mpe, and municipal manager, Thuso Lavhelesani Nemugumoni.
Bosa, led by its provincial leader, Timothy Maluleka, on Monday requested that SIU conduct a forensic investigation against the municipal bosses, who are implicated in some criminal conduct related to the unlawful appointment of service providers.
The party’s decision comes amid a number of allegations against the municipality, with the main issue being the allegation that Nemugumoni awarded a multimillion-rand tender to her Zimbabwean boyfriend to the tune of R56-million.
Mayor refutes allegations
The document allegedly links Mpe and Nemugumoni to a total of 28 municipal service providers.
The document further alleged that the top two municipal officials also receive funds from service providers with whom they are said to have personal relationships.
Bosa spokesperson in the Capricorn District, Ngoako Setjie, said: “It has been a long time that the Polokwane municipality has been holding people at ransom, and we can’t continue to keep silent when our house is on fire like this.
“If we had our way, the municipality speaker was supposed to suspend the municipal manager to allow investigations into this matter.”
Mpe has since refuted all the allegations that the city manager irregularly awarded a R56-million tender to a so-called “Zimbabwean boyfriend’s company with the blessing of the mayor”.
“Those allegations are not only false and defamatory but also xenophobic and dangerously irresponsible, and there is no such award nor such scandal,” said Mpe.
“What we are witnessing is an attempt to inflame the public and manipulate sentiment through lies, prejudice, and digital misinformation.”
Premier asked to intervene
Meanwhile, the Bolshevik Party’s Seun Mogotsi said it appears that under the ANC leadership, South Africa will never recover from the scourge of corruption and maladministration.
“We had the Zondo commission, which unearthed corruption and thieving of public resources for a period of close to 10 years,” said Mogotsi.
“We had [advocate Terry] Motau SC’s investigation report, which revealed a shocking VBS looting by ANC cadres.
“As the Bolshevik party, we were at the forefront of exposing this corruption even before Motau could finish the investigations.”
“We also reported several cases to law enforcement agencies, and people were arrested. We have no choice but to adopt the same approach even in this Polokwane corruption and theft scandal.
“We are therefore resolved to take the following steps; hence, we have already written a letter to the premier, calling upon her to act without delay.
“She must not cover up this scandal because the implicated persons are from her political party.”
Validity of financial statements
The MEC of cooperative governance, human settlements, and traditional affairs, Basikopo Makamu, has since written to Mpe to enquire about the validity of municipal financial statements being circulated on social media.
Makamu has given Mpe until August 1 to provide a comprehensive report to the MEC of municipalities in Limpopo regarding allegations of tender kickbacks, political patronage, and financial maladministration in the city’s municipality.
Mpe said he reports to the council and not to the MEC; however, he promised to oblige in due course.
“MEC Makamu is playing a political game on this; he is very much aware that I don’t report to him but to the council, while he himself reports to the province,” said Mpe.
