The DA in the Mopani District Municipality welcomes the finalisation of the financial misconduct case against the now dismissed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sibongile Mathebula through a disciplinary hearing held recently and calls upon the Executive Mayor, Pule Shayi to speedily commence the recruitment process for a new suitably qualified CFO.
The DA further urges the Municipal Manager, Tshepo Mogano, to implement consequence management to the implicated officials within the finance and supply chain management directorates for the misappropriation of municipal funds and to table the report to council.
This follows a months-long disciplinary procedure against the CFO on matters of gross negligence related to the irregular and fraudulent appointment of a service provider despite having knowledge that they did not submit the bid under tender no 2022/2023-018. This process was prolonged by Mathebula’s attempts to halt the process through litigation.
Notwithstanding welcoming the dismissal, we are concerned that the full investigative and disciplinary hearing outcomes were not given to elected councillors, materially affecting their ability to do effective oversight.
The DA is committed to the fight against financial mismanagement and will push for further accountability steps to recover financial losses caused by the CFO and all implicated officials.