The Boksheviks Party of South Africa in Limpopo has criticised the mayor of Polokwane Municipality and the municipal manager for taking the Hawks to court in order to prevent them from accessing the documents which implicate them on corruption and fraud.
The party’s secretary general, Seun Mogotji, told Sunday World that they are concerned by the fact that it has been more than five months since the allegations of gross criminal conduct were raised against the sitting mayor, John Mpe and the municipal manager, Thuso Patricia Nemungumoni.
“As alleged, funds meant for infrastructure development and other services were embezzled by the two and their pals. Expensive houses and cars were purchased through the use of these illicitly acquired funds. Much to the detriment of the members of the public,” said Mogotji.
Makoro Foundation a vehicle for graft
“Makoro Foundation, an entity established and named after Mpe, is allegedly a criminal racket. It is used to launder money from service providers that are unlawfully appointed by the municipality under the political and administrative leadership of the duo. Surely the facts as alleged are cogent enough,” added Mogotji.
Mogotji cited violations of the Municipal Finance Management Act, and Organised crime as defined by POCA. Corruption As defined by section 03 of the Prevention and Combatting of corrupt activities Act. As well as money laundering, theft and fraud.
“We are concerned that the law enforcement agencies, particularly the hawks, seem to be lackadaisical in its approach to the investigations. There appears to be well-crafted machination to aid and abet those who cause spillage of public resources and commit grand scale theft of funds meant for the needy.
“We are also concerned that these machinations seem to have gone to an extent of frustrating every lawful investigation and section 205 process of soliciting details of who is donating illicit funds into Makoro Foundation and for what,” he said.
Mogotji said of further grave concern is that both Mpe and Nemungumoni are using municipal funds to hire lawyers to defend their shenanigans in courts.
Municipal funds used for personal defence
“In other words, the pair is using municipal resources to parry the blows of accountability. This is another offence that ought to be added to the investigations by the hawks. People cannot be allowed to steal resources of the municipality and use the resources of the same victim (the municipality) of crime to defend themselves.
“We are therefore calling on the new Minister of Police and NDPP Adv Bathohi to take Polokwane residents and the South African people into confidence as to what is the cause of the delay in the investigations. Why should the public members and taxpayers not be worried that delay is fact caused by systemic corruption that is in the Police,” said Mogotji.
Two months ago, Build One South Africa (Bosa) requested the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe corruption allegations against both Mpe and Nemugumoni.
Bosa, then led by its provincial leader, Timothy Maluleka, 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 came amid a number of allegations against the municipality. The main issue being the allegation that Nemugumoni awarded a multimillion-rand tender to her Zimbabwean boyfriend to the tune of R56-million.
The document allegedly links Mpe and Nemugumoni to a total of 28 municipal service providers.
Kick-back allegations
It further alleged that the top two municipal officials also receive funds from service providers with whom they are said to have personal relationships.
Mpe had 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 then.
Mpe and Nemungumoni’s case to prevent the Hawks from obtaining the documents was to be held at the Polokwane High Court on Monday, September 14. However, it was postponed to October 2.
Unconfirmed new reports were that the Hawks finally managed to access the documents from both Mpe and Nemugumoni by late Tuesday.
