14 July 2010

The IFP is shocked to find that senior officials at uMngeni Municipality implicated in the ongoing corruption probe have not been suspended, but continue to manage the municipal finances.

 “It is astonishing that many of these officials, including the Chief Financial Officer, today presented the council’s ‘turnaround’ strategy to the provincial Legislature,” said IFP MPL Roman Liptak who visited the municipality as part of the Legislature’s delegation on the occasion of the Mandela Week aimed at reaching out to communities across the province. 

The presentation, drafted by uMngeni CFO Bertus van der Merwe, painted the municipality as a model of transparent and efficient governance. “Why then is the municipality under the microscope for corruption and maladministration?” - said Liptak.

The IFP also questioned uMngeni’s shortage of funding against the backdrop of its overblown top management structure. “Out of uMngeni’s 431 employees, 9 are Section 57 managers compared to the neighbouring Msunduzi Municipality which employs 3266 staff and has 6 senior managers,” said Liptak.

The two recent investigations, one of which was foiled by the council while the other is still running, have revealed past instances of graft, questionable executive allowances and conflicts of interest. A number of top officials fingered in these investigations, including the CFO, continue to manage the municipality.  

“The IFP will seek clarity from the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the status of the ongoing corruption probe at uMngeni and the role of the officials implicated in it in the running of the municipality,” said Liptak.

Contact: Roman Liptak, 078 302 0929