According to the municipal spokesperson, Lehlohonolo Mafatman, the municipal CFO was suspended at a special council meeting held on 17 November 2022. He said following the suspension of the CFO, an independent investigator has been appointed.

Mafatman did not indicate why was the CFO placed on precautionary suspension. However, OFM News previously reported that the municipality was accused of embezzling over R70 million from the national conditional grant meant for the power supply in that area.

ALSO READ: Free State municipality accused of embezzling over R70 million

Mafatman has since told OFM News that the municipality was disputing the fact that it owed the Bloemfontein-based Mangaung Metro Municipality's power utility over R70 million.

ALSO READ: Free State municipality denies R70m embezzlement

The troubled municipality was also flagged by the Auditor-General (AG), Tshakani Maluleke, as failing to account for millions of taxpayers' money spent on water meters.

The municipality allegedly paid at least R5 million to service providers to install water meters but can’t produce traceable and tangible proof of it.

ALSO READ: Free State municipality can’t account for R5 million

AG Tsakani’s spokesperson, Africa Boso, told OFM News that the AG’s office can confirm that the municipality’s assets line item received a qualified finding for the 2020-21 financial year, owing to a lack of supporting evidence relating to, among others, water meters. Boso said in this regard the audit team identified deficiencies in the acquisition of water meters and the related supporting documents submitted, hence the qualification.

A document shown to OFM News shows how the municipality in question, on two occasions, paid over R2 million to one service provider for the installation of water meters. The payment of thousands of rands further continues but without the names of the service providers being divulged by the municipality.

Whilst the municipality continue to be besieged by issues of administration, workers had recently downed tools in protest against the nonpayment of salaries.

In October 2022, OFM News reported that the newly appointed Municipal Manager (MM) of the of the Zastron-based Mohokare Municipality in the Free State was successfully interdicted and told to vacate office.

On Friday 7 October 2022, Free State High Court Judge Phillip Loubser granted an interdict to four disgruntled ANC councillors who dragged the troubled municipality to court.

ALSO READ: Free State Municipal Manager told to vacate office

OFM News previously reported that in an application made with the Free State High Court, the first respondent, Teboho Mochechepa, said: "The municipal manager, who is the fourth respondent in the court action, was allegedly and/or purportedly appointed as an MM on 31 August 2022, ostensibly by the Speaker, through dubious means.

OFM News