Investigations revealed it formed part of a syndicate that included an internet café where fake bank statements and proofs of payment were created.

The operation of the funeral undertakers and the municipal employees has lasted for the past 10 years. One of the employees was also suspended for taking money from motorists in exchange for decreasing traffic fine amounts.

All five employees were suspended on Thursday (24/4) pending investigations into their case.

“We can confirm that we’ve suspended five employees as a municipality based on allegations of crime, corruption, and theft,” said Emfuleni spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni.

“The case, as far as we are concerned, looks very watertight, hence one of the employees on suspension has chosen to give us an affidavit which confirms all the allegations and confirms what they’ve done.”

This is not the first time the municipality has placed its employees on suspension; Ster Sedibeng reports this follows after the mass suspension of 17 officials who were suspended over alleged diesel theft from the municipality on Thursday, 20 March.

In continuation of the municipality's anti-corruption and compliance drive, it fired five additional employees who refused to work from its offices last month.

‘The municipality will no longer forgive ill-discipline from employees’

“Burials are truly special to all of us, for trusted employees to take advantage of them to this extent is an eyesore that warrants a zero-tolerance approach to terminate,” said municipal manager April Ntuli.

“The municipality will no longer forgive ill-discipline, especially when such behaviours hit hard on our reputation as an institution and even harder on the communities we are supposed to serve.

“We urge members of the public to report Emfuleni officials who are breaking the law (to the municipality),” he said.

“The FF Plus in Emfuleni welcomes the suspension of five officials, but it is not enough,” said FF Plus spokesperson Gerda Senekal. “Stricter action is required in the department. It has been going on for several years.”

OFM News previously reported at the beginning of April that the partnership between Eskom and Emfuleni Municipality bore fruit. For the first time in months, the municipality was able to pay its electricity current account in full to the power supplier.

At the beginning of March, the power utility sent out a statement saying that Vaal Triangle residents will now have to pay their electricity bill directly to Eskom because of an agreement between the municipality and the power utility.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg