The money was allegedly meant to purchase diesel for the municipal fleet, which includes diesel for municipal vehicles that remove or collect waste and refuse across the metro.

ALSO READ: R500k unaccounted for at cash-strapped Metro

OFM News previously reported that according to the leader of the DA caucus, Johan Pretorius, the Acting City Manager (ACM), Tebogo Motlashuping, confirmed that he had approved the payment of R500 000 to buy diesel but the money has since gone missing.

Pretorius had previously said that the municipality can roughly fill up 200 compact vehicles with that amount of diesel. 

The municipality is yet to comment on OFM News's inquiry.

The provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), when MEC Thembeni Ngxangisa, was at the helm of the department, had initiated a cleanup campaign, but that has seemingly failed as waste continue to pile up at aforementioned areas. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his Presidential Imbizo, said the city was dirty and filthy. 

Irate residents, amongst others, have also raised concerns about the lack of rubbish collection.  

The metro was recently put under national government's intervention to help speed up service delivery.

OFM News