Lentswe, Klerksdorp - A special council meeting is scheduled for Thursday afternoon to discuss the future of Matlosana Municipality’s CFO who was arrested last week on charges of corruption.
Mercy Phetla (38) was released after local businessman TP “MacGyver’’ Mokasule paid her R35 000 bail. The two GMHM Construction and Projects employees, Matshepiso Mothelesane (39) and Nomthandazo Mokasule (49) who were arrested with her, were also released on R35 000 bail each. The company also paid their bail.
Phetla and her co-accused has to appear in court again on March 1 following their arrest last week. Lentswe was told that the CFO was placed on special leave pending council’s meeting this week to vote on if she should be suspended or not.
For Cllr Johannes le Grange, DA Caucus Leader, it should only be a formality to get her out of office. He said he has reported several cases of fraud and corruption to the Hawks for investigation implicating the CFO and GMHM Construction and Projects. “These arrests will be the beginning of a clean-up campaign to rid the municipality of criminality,’’ he said.
GMHM Construction and Projects was appointed by the City of Matlosana local municipality in 2021 to supply and transport paraffin to indigent households in the rural and un-electrified areas of the municipality for three years.
According to the DA, they 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 worth R1,4 million. The CFO failed to declare the gift to the municipality,’’ Cllr Le Grange said.
Hawks spokesperson WO Amogelang Malwetse confirmed that the investigation in centred around the acquisition of the vehicle. The trio have been ordered to hand their passports to the investigating officers and all documents relating to GMHM to be immediately removed from the CFO.
Ntswaki Makgetha, municipal spokesperson, said they will follow the developments with keen interest and have noted the nature of the corruption charges and the orders issued by the court “to remove the implicated GMHM account responsibilities from the CFO into the Municipal Manager’s Office”. “The City hereby wishes to assure the residents and the business community that they remain committed to the fight against corruption and the pursuit of clean municipal governance free from corruption,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, Cllr Le Grange has received threats and is upgrading his personal security. “It is sad but it comes with my job. I am okay, but my loved ones are not so happy with the circumstances,’’ he said.
