The Public Accounts Committee (Scopa) in the North West Legislature has slammed the cases of fraud and corruption across the province. The Scopa chairperson, Job Dliso, said cases of corruption eat at the morality of residents.

“I think we are not doing justice to our citizens. Monies appropriated in the province either from the national or the provincial level, are supposed to be used for what it is meant for and you are quite right, the morale is down in our communities because there is a lack of service delivery. We don’t have water and also have challenges with roads,” Dliso said.

This was after the Former Bojonala District municipality's Manager, Patrick Shikwane, and a businessman, were arrested and released for fraud of R134 million meant for a housing project.

The money came from the national treasury to the provincial department and it was later transferred to the district municipality, but its final destination was Rustenburg Local Municipality. However, it emerged that four officials were said to have erroneously paid the monies to a service provider transgressing the government tender system.

Shikwane splashed R134 million. It’s said that he spent 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.

OFM News previously reported that a senior accounting officer and current MM Lethlhonolo Fourie were suspended following a special council sitting on 29 September.

The district Executive Mayor Matlakala Nondzaba said the council decision is about payments made to companies implicated in the forensic report, on R134 million that was erroneously transferred to the municipality in 2019. The news about taxpayer money being splashed by officials has since caused quite an uproar from all spheres of government, trade unions and civil movements who called for justice to be served.

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 North West.

SAFTU’s national spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, said the federation is appalled and disgusted to learn of the allegations. They are demanding justice after this alleged looting in North West.

“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.

OFM News