Samwu provincial Chairperson, Elias Matshepe,  tells OFM News on Tuesday he understands that following criminal charges laid with the Hawks against the municipality, the investigation is ongoing.

He said they laid criminal charges with the Hawks in the Free State following numerous failed attempts to recover the monies owed to its members by the municipality.

He adds that the municipality has not even once given a proper response to questions as to what might have happened to the money.

He says the municipality owes these members for the pension fund, medical aid and third party contributions since 2003.

Matshepe says the municipality completely collapsed and the situation has gotten worse as the municipality is failing to pay workers their monthly salaries. The Hawks spokesperson, Sfiso Nyakane,  confirmed to OFM News that they are investigating a fraud and corruption case. The municipality is yet to comment.

“On [several] occasions we have tried to engage with the municipality [to come to an] agreement but the municipality has failed to abide by those agreements. Basically, the municipality has collapsed. There is absolutely no municipality because the municipality is unable to pay the third parties of the employees,” says Matshepe.

The Hawks and municipality are yet to comment.

Matshepe says failure by the troubled municipality to pay third parties resolved in criminal charges being laid against the municipality.

He says it is a criminal offence to do deductions from workers’ salaries and still not pay the third parties.

OFM News previously reported that one of the employee, Phutheho Mosunkutu, told OFM News that this situation has since impacted his family quite negatively.

He told OFM News that he has been blacklisted because he failed to pay for his daughter’s prenatal appointments. He said his daughter was denied access to a Bloemfontein private hospital due to non-payment.

OFM News