Lentswe, Klerksdorp - It has come to light this week that the fraud-accused Matlosana CFO is implicated in yet another scandal.
Mercy Phetla, chief financial officer (CFO), is implicated in yet another alleged fraudulent payment of R3 million following her arrest for fraud and corruption by the Hawks earlier this year.
On Tuesday April 9 some employees from Matlosana Municipality protested outside the municipal building calling for her suspension. The police monitored a peaceful march that followed.
Earlier, the DA called for her suspension following her arrest on corruption charges earlier this year. A majority in council however decided she could continue her work pending the court case.
According to Cllr Johannes le Grange, caucus leader, the youngest allegation against the embattled CFO is that she allegedly approved an electrical equipment purchase requisition of almost R3 million to Variegated PTY Ltd without the approval or knowledge of the municipal manager, Lesego Seametso.
“The Municipal Finance Management Act’s (MFMA) stipulated threshold for transactions above R200 000, requires the final approval of the Municipal Manager. The CFO allegedly replaced the then-storekeeper with somebody known to her to assist with the facilitation of this payment. The R3 million purchase went through five days after that appointment, who signed the delivery documents of the electrical equipment which was never received,” he said.
CFO Phetla is implicated in fraudulent payments to GMHM Construction and Projects and for receiving a Volkswagen Amarok Bakkie worth R1,4 million from the company and failed to declare the benefit which led to her arrest. The matter is before the court.
Lentswe contacted the municipality for comment on the youngest allegations, but at the time of going to print no reply was received.
