RUSTENBURG HERALD - KGETLENGRIVIER - The DA will submit a letter to the office of the speaker, Ms. Mamikie Molefe, demanding reasons for her failure to timeously hold a special Council sitting to discuss allegations of fraud and corruption against the Municipal Manager of the Kgetlengrivier Local Municipality - Mr Clement Letswalo.
According to reports, Mr Letswalo misappropriated R20 million in unauthorised expenditure towards litigation cases.
This is four times the quarterly budget, thereby diverting monies earmarked for service delivery and salaries. Many of these cases were resolved by the Council to be challenged in court, as proposed by the DA. The DA will also submit a letter to the Chief Whip, Mr Kagiso Sellaolane, requesting that he call a rules committee meeting to charge the Speaker. This comes on the back of the Speaker’s failure to timeously hold a special council sitting relating to the allegations against Mr Letswalo, which was supposed to be held on the 8th of May 2024. The Speaker held Council “at ransom” for the next two months, allowing Mr Letswalo unfettered access to the public purse, being fully aware that he could be suspended. In the meantime, residents in Derby and Koster were facing severe water shortages while the municipality tried to negotiate terms of payment with service providers because the funds had already been misappropriated.
Letswalo was suspended on an unrelated matter pending an investigation outcome. The DA proposed that because of the municipality’s further financial degradation due to the Speaker’s actions, all Councillors must forgo upper limits and further consequence management against Mr Letswalo, Cllr Mduduzi Maphanga of the DA told the media.
This blow to service delivery by the Municipal Manager is a reminder of objection by the DA and other opposition parties, bar the EFF, against Mr Letswalo’s appointment earlier.
The DA will continue to fight for Kgetlengrivier residents.
