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 arrests made by the Hawks yesterday of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mercy Phetla, and her accomplices, employees of GMHM Construction and Projects, Nomthandazo Mokasule and Matshepiso Mothelesane, on charges of corruption.
GMHM Construction and Projects is a service provider for the municipality with a month-to-month contract.
The DA has reported several cases of fraud and corruption to the Hawks for investigation implicating the CFO and GMHM Construction and Projects. We believe that these arrests will be the beginning of a clean-up campaign to rid the municipality of criminality.
We have repeatedly raised concerns with the CFO about the unlawful preferential treatment of certain service providers.
In June 2023, it was alleged that GMHM Construction and Projects gifted the CFO with a Volkswagen Amarok Bakkie worth R1,4 million. The CFO failed to declare the gift to the municipality.
After the arrests, the trio immediately appeared before the Klerksdorp’s Magistrates Court and were released on R35 000 bail each, with their cases postponed to 1 March 2024.
The CFO’s bail was paid by GMHM Construction and Projects, which lends credence to the allegations of a fraudulent relationship. See proof of payment here.
The DA will today submit a request to the Executive Mayor, Cllr James Tsolela, and the Speaker, Cllr SL Mandlane, to call an urgent Special Council Meeting to deal with the immediate suspension of the CFO from her role and that, while she answers for these serious allegations of fraud and corruption before court, she is barred from accessing any municipal buildings, offices and employees.
While we welcome these arrests, Matlosana residents should note that it is the ANC in government that promotes this kind of corruption. If we want to return good governance to our city, residents should register to vote DA so that we can rescue Matlosana and rebuild what the ANC has destroyed over the last 30 years.