The Mayor of the troubled Free State municipality continues to draw some heavy criticism over misuse of public funds on vehicle rentals and petrol. The EFF in the ailing municipality has raised concerns about possible criminality in what they describe as "transactions of nonessential services" for the Nketoana Mayor, Mamiki Mokwena.

OFM News has previously reported on a series of troubling expenditures and questionable practices within the Nketoana Municipality, which includes Reitz, Lindley, and Petrus Steyn. In July, it emerged that Mokwena has been spending at least R100,000 per month on petrol and car rentals.

The controversy began when opposition parties, including the EFF and the DA, demanded transparency from Mokwena regarding her vehicle use. Despite these requests, Mokwena is yet to provide logbooks for the first vehicle, a BMW 4 Series, which has been sitting at a municipal workshop for more than two years. DA Councillor Thinus Blignaut previously informed OFM News between August 2021 and August 2023, the mayor rented a vehicle costing the municipality no less than R850,000. After the municipality purchased another car for the mayor in March 2023, the vehicle was involved in an accident and written off in November 2023.

Since February, Mokwena has been renting a car from AVIS on a month-to-month basis. Records obtained by OFM News indicate the municipality paid R50,447.79 in May and R64,893.31 in June for the rented vehicle. Recent reports reveal Mokwena has been spending at least R100,000 a month on car rental and fuel.

Despite the growing criticism, municipal manager Sam Mokwena defended the mayor’s expenditures, arguing it is the municipality's responsibility to ensure the mayor has transportation for official and private duties as outlined in the mayoral handbook.

Nketoana municipal manager Sam Mokwena defended the mayor’s expenditures. Photo: Screenshot

He refuted allegations of unnecessary spending, saying, "The mayor forfeited 25% of her salary and opted for the use of the official vehicle. It is malicious to claim the mayor has traveled 70,000 km without any substantial evidence."

He explained after the mayor’s car was written off the insurance payout left it to the discretion of the administration to arrange another vehicle. "There is a portion of the amount already paid by the insurance, which will be used to start the process of ensuring the mayor gets a new vehicle." 

The vehicle rented by Nketoana's Mayor parked at the municipal offices. Photo supplied

DA Councillor Phaphang Mofokeng, however, countered the municipal manager's defense, stating the mayor has cost the municipality a significant amount of money. He accused the municipal manager of misleading the public when he said the municipality does not pay more than R30.000 on rented vehicles. He further highlighted the municipal petrol card has been misused to fill up other cars.

Mofokeng further criticised the municipal manager's argument for the use of a rented vehicle for private purposes, which he claims is based on an outdated and unsigned SALGA Mayoral Handbook from 2010.

Meanwhile, the EFF in Nketoana announced plans to open criminal charges against the mayor and monitor developments closely. The party says it is determined to hold the mayor accountable and is demanding the logbooks to show where she has been traveling using public funds.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg