Moqhaka Municipality mayor, Motloheloa Mokatsane, has allegedly lied to council in order to hire his friends to senior directors positions.
According to a source known to The Star, Mokatsane misled council, claiming that he followed all processes when he hired senior managers, including getting the go-ahead from Department of Co-Operative Governance & Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC Saki Mokoena.
The source further alleged that the mayor was doing as he pleased in the municipality.
“Mokatsane does as he wants. He even defies the provincial leadership of the ANC to further his agenda. The municipality is in a mess because of him.
“It is not the first time that such things happen. People from Viljoenskroon embarked on a protest against him because of this behaviour and his wanting to hire his own people,” the source said.
In an attempt to want to correct his blunders, the source said, Mokatsane went back to council and proposed that it should appoint a law firm to investigate whether the appointment of two senior managers was above board.
This prompted MEC Mokoena to intervene and reverse the appointment of both managers.
In his letter sent to the mayor, the MEC stated that the appointment of the managers was illegal.
“The appointment reports submitted to my office with regards to the following posts: (Chief Financial Officer, Directors: Community Services and Corporate Services) bears reference.
“Subsequent to the receipt of the appointment report, my office is in possession of communication from a firm of Attorneys, GP Mbodla Incorporation, alleging that the Chairperson appointed to preside (over) the appointment of the mentioned posts is illegal as he was not properly appointed according the prevailing legislation (Section 54A), thereby intending to approach the Court for a declaratory order.
“The letter alleges, among others, that the appointments were flawed,” Mokoena said in a letter.
He said the acting municipal manager’s acting capacity had lapsed and there was never any request for concurrence to extend beyond the original three-month period.
“I therefore request the executive mayor to request the Speaker to convene an urgent council meeting to deliberate on this matter and rescind the appointments. In the event councils decides against my advice, I reserve my right to approach a competent court for a declaratory order.”
Earlier this year, The Star exposed how the municipality, under Mokatsane’s leadership, squandered more than R100 million that had been budgeted to refurbish a sewage plant.
Neither Moqhaka Mayor Mokatsane, nor municipal spokesperson, Dika Khwesa, responded to questions sent by the time of publication.
The Star