The Democratic Alliance will write to Limpopo Provincial Treasury MEC, Kgabo Mahoai, insisting on the institution of a forensic investigation into the supply chain management (SCM) processes and contracts entered into by Molemole-Mook Local Municipality. This follows the arrest by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) of almost the entire senior management of the municipality for alleged tender fraud and corruption.
The arrests, alongside a pattern of procurement irregularities, point not to isolated failures, but to systemic financial misconduct within the municipality’s SCM environment.
Where there is prima facie evidence of systemic SCM irregularities and corruption, Provincial Treasury is, in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), under a statutory duty to enforce compliance, take appropriate steps, and ensure that corrective action is implemented.
Evidence already in the public domain — including the R38 million Morebeng landfill project with little to no delivery; the Matseke electrification project where payments of approximately R2 million appear to have been made ahead of completion; the irregularly awarded R238,500 training tender; and the underperforming R7.5 million Fatima culvert bridge project — demonstrates a consistent breakdown in contract award, management, and oversight.
These failures are further reinforced by findings of the Auditor-General, which flagged serious concerns relating to financial management and compliance.
The scale and nature of the irregularities at Molemole-Mookgopong — now compounded by the arrest of senior officials responsible for financial administration — constitutes prima facie evidence of systemic financial misconduct, which triggers Treasury’s investigative mandate under section 168 of the MFMA.
Provincial Treasury is not a passive observer of municipal collapse. Where SCM systems have failed and officials are implicated, it is legally required to intervene, investigate, and enforce consequence management. Failure to act would amount to a dereliction of its statutory duties.
If we are to fix the rot and collapse of our municipalities in Limpopo, as we seen under ANC, we must return to governance under the rule of law.
The community of Molemole-Mookgopong will have the opportunity in the upcoming local government elections to vote for clean, rule of law based governance under the DA, that delivers.