Central SA
Trade union demanding justice after alleged looting in North West─── LUCKY NKUYANE 13:09 Tue, 03 Oct 2023
“The R134 million is said to have been erroneously transferred to Bojanala Municipality. Its true destination was Rustenburg Municipality, where it was meant to build houses.”
The South African Trade Workers' Union (SAFTU) has called for more officials to be brought to book regarding the alleged looting of R134 million of taxpayers' money by former government officials and service providers in the North West.
A repeat offender and former Bojanala District Municipal Manager, Patrick Shikwane, and his alleged accomplice, Moses Malesa, were released on R10,000 and R5,000 bail respectively at the Rustenburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court after they were nabbed for tender fraud, involving a R1 million payment.
However, it later emerged that Shikwane is also implicated in a massive looting of government funds wherein he is accused of splashing R2 million on two laptops, R10 million on an Events Management Company that doesn’t have an address, R359,000 on lunch and transport for councillors to attend a one-day ward committee meeting and R299,000 for 60 food parcels.
“Despite the housing crisis caused by low income for working-class households, poverty, and backlog in government-funded houses, the municipal leaders still have the temerity to loot funds so desperately needed for such services.”
This has since attracted a public outcry. Among those who are scathing against the alleged blatant corruption is SAFTU’s national spokesperson, Trevor Shaku. He said the federation is appalled and disgusted to learn of the allegations.
“The R134 million is said to have been erroneously transferred to Bojanala Municipality. Its true destination was Rustenburg Municipality, where it was meant to build houses.
“Despite the housing crisis caused by low income for working-class households, poverty, and backlog in government-funded houses, the municipal leaders still have the temerity to loot funds so desperately needed for such services. Corruption and fiscal austerity are responsible for the collapsing public service,” Shaku said.
The Rustenburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court granted the alleged accomplices bail.
He said they believe that the looting network extends beyond these two individuals. The federation has since called for other municipal officials involved in kickbacks and service providers who colluded to inflate prices to be arrested.
“Our calls for clamping down on corruption must grow louder, just as our opposition to fiscal austerity from the National Treasury.
“The small fraction of sentencing and lack of long [1] jail term sentences is an incentive for public officials and businesspeople to continue looting public funds for their enrichment without fear. Corruption has proliferated and festered to the point that almost every outsourcing and contracting [transaction] in the public service, municipalities, and higher education institutions are tainted with bribes and kickbacks.”
OFM News reported in 2022 that Patrick Shikwane (51), who is the former Municipal Manager for the Bojanala District Municipality, which includes Rustenburg, was also arrested for wrongdoing linked to an R2.4 million tender.
