Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Johannes le Grange.
The DA in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality welcomes the arrest of the Chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC), Mrs Mateboho Mosiako, after a sting operation by the police where she was caught extorting money from a service provider, Molahlwa Investment Holdings.
This arrest occurred two weeks after the DA opened a case with the Hawks to investigate the irregular appointment of Molahlwa Investment Holdings for the rental of 10 refuse removal trucks for a 3-month term under emergency Regulation 36 of the Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations. See the previous statement issued here.
It is alleged that Mrs Mosiako met Molahlwa Investment Holdings in January 2023, where she was asked to notify them when Matlosana would advertises any tenders.
Mrs Mosiako had a meeting with Molahlwa Investment Holdings in March 2023, where she informed them that Matlosana will award them the tender. She then threatened Molahlwa Investment Holdings to pay her R100 000.00 or she will make sure the contract is cancelled.
Molahlwa Investment Holdings alerted the police about the extortion who then managed to arrest Mrs Mosiako after Molahlwa Investment Holdings paid her R30 000 in cash.
Mrs Mosiako was expected to appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrates Court yesterday.
When the Matlosana Council was constituted in 2021, Mrs Mosiako, who was the then Councillor for Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD), was elected as Chairperson of MPAC with the ANC’s nomination and overwhelming support.
Opposition parties advised against this appointment in Council, stating that the position should ideally go to a member of the DA, the official opposition in Matlosana, to enhance oversight and prevent the ANC from becoming player and referee at the same time.
It is evident that Mrs Mosiako’s appointment was in exchange for F4SD’s support of the budget vote and other critical matters that would require the ANC to secure a majority vote.
The arrest of Mrs Mosiako also comes at a time when opposition parties were preparing to table several reports on contracts that were irregularly awarded, which will definitely trigger a new wave of investigations.
The DA will closely monitor the court proceedings of Mrs Mosiako, including the possible involvement of municipal officials and other Councillors, to ensure that justice is served for the people of Matlosana.
We will also write to the Speaker, Cllr Stella Mondlane, to ensure that MPAC meetings should continue without any delay so that all reports can be tabled where further acts of maladministration will be revealed.
The people of Matlosana have the opportunity in next year’s election to vote out the ANC’s corruption that continues to deny them quality basic service delivery by registering to vote for a DA government that cares.