Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbite in English by Freddy Sonakile.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West welcomes the action taken yesterday by the South African Police Service’s Special Task Force in raiding the offices of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in Mahikeng.
This decisive intervention signifies an important move towards restoring accountability in a municipality long plagued by allegations of corruption, maladministration, and gross financial mismanagement.
In its 2023/24 audit report, the Auditor-General identified several serious governance failures, including poor record keeping, non-compliance with supply chain management regulations, procurement without competitive bidding, and the awarding of contracts to bidders who did not score the highest points during evaluation processes.
The DA has repeatedly raised concerns over the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality for its reckless spending on infrastructure projects as well as its failure to provide the much-needed services to the communities it is supposed to serve.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the municipality was accused of grossly mismanaging the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, which had been reprioritised to combat the Covid-19 infections. Allegations include bypassing mandatory procurement procedures, awarding dubious contracts, and paying contractors without delivering any visible outcomes.
The Deelpan disaster stands as yet another example of this municipality’s consistent failure to fulfil its mandate, following the controversial and disputed procurement of gumboots during the relief efforts.
In its latest audit report, the municipality’s unauthorised expenditure has ballooned to R509 million, a clear indictment of persistent mismanagement and a stark reminder of the urgent need for decisive enforcement and accountability measures.
The DA fully supports this operation and calls for speedy and transparent investigations leading to consequence management. The DA will also give our full cooperation to assist in the investigations to ensure speedy progress and in a bid to ensure that those implicated are held fully accountable. The residents of Ngaka Modiri Molema must finally receive the clean and ethical governance they deserve.