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 is vindicated by the judgement delivered by the High Court, North West Division, Mahikeng, to suspend the contract irregularly awarded to Molebogeng Trading Enterprises cc in December 2023 for refuse removal services. See court’s interdict here.
The City appointed Molebogeng Trading Enterprise to deliver refuse collection services, however, since the R75 million contract was awarded, regular refuse collection services have all but ceased and are erratic at best.
Under the contract, Molebogeng Trading Enterprise was obligated to provide 10 refuse removal trucks in good working condition by 15 December 2023, requiring 10 additional new refuse trucks to be brought into operation three months within the contract period, and another six trucks at the five-month mark.
To date, only two trucks have been made available for refuse removal.
CFO Phetla was arrested earlier this year on charges of tender fraud and the ANC has abused their majority vote to keep her in office, despite the serious allegations against her.
The CFO has recently moved the Director of Community Safety, Jemina Masilo, to another department and took it upon herself to deal with Molebogeng to send refuse removal trucks to the municipality’s service providers for repairs.
While the ANC remains determined to implement its cadre deployment policy to promote corruption, Matlosana residents are denied the basic services they are entitled to.
At the moment, the municipality only has six functional trucks working trying to remove refuse, adding to the overtime wage bill, money the municipality does not have.
According to the court’s interdict, Matlosana must immediately implement the necessary steps to urgently procure temporary refuse trucks to deliver services to the community. The municipality also has 30 days from the date of the interdict to deliver documents on the evaluation, adjudication and award of Molebogeng to the court.
The DA will submit written questions to Mayor James Tsolela on the contract with Molebogeng in next week’s Council meeting. We have also written to the Municipal Manager, Lesego Seametso, requesting that she table to Council a status report on the temporary rental of six trucks as indicated in the court’s interdict. See letter here.
A DA government will make cadre deployment a criminal offense. On 29 May this year, residents can once and for all end cadre deployment and corruption by voting for the DA, a party with a proven track record of good governance and prioritising the needs of residents.
