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PP Urged to investigate NMB coalition of corruption government

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Dear MyPE

Yesterday, Tuesday 11 December 2018, I wrote to the Public Protector, Ms Busisiwe Mkhwebane to give urgent attention to financial mismanagement, misconduct and possible financial offences in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Read letter here.

The current ANC-led coalition of corruption is transgressing many legislated requirements and flouting basic requirements when it comes to financial management.

In my letter I made specific reference to the transgression of the following legislation, the “Municipal Regulation on financial misconduct procedures and criminal proceedings” and also offences as it pertains to the Municipal Finance Management Act.

I highlighted two issues of major concern:

  • A proposal to suspend all suspensions of municipal staff;
  • An item brought to the Council whereby the new administration seeks to amend an approved business plan related to the Municipality’s intention to borrow R700 million. This loan is to be put to use for the augmentation of water and the prevention of unnecessary loss of water and other urgent infrastructure and energy related projects. Some of the requests in this proposed item are that R100 million be used to provide bulk infrastructure to an unbudgeted new housing development at Florida Heights, and that R45 million be used for “festive season events”, when R4 million has already been allocated for this purpose in the current budget.

The situation in NMB is extremely unstable especially as there have already been three acting City Managers since the failing ANC-led coalition of corruption took over government on 27 August 2018.12.12

I have therefore also sent this letter to the Ministers of Finance and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the EC MEC’s for Finance, Oscar Mabuyane and COGTA, Fikile Xasa, for their urgent attention.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, under the collective leadership of Executive Mayor, Cllr Mongameli Bobani and Cllr Andile Lungisa and their coalition of corruption, seems hell bent on irregularly enriching themselves and unlawfully reinstating their corrupt and criminal friends.

During the DA-led coalition’s two years in government great strides where made to turn the fortunes of the City around.

More public money was freed up to spend on delivering services to all. Nelson Mandela Bay had a R615 million surplus – its best financial position in over a decade, cancelled corrupt contracts to the tune of R650 million and opened tender adjudication processes to the public.

The DA-led administration tripled the number of EPWP jobs in the Metro .

Almost 10 000 bucket toilets were eradicated and the administration ensured 12 000 residents received running water and flush toilets in their homes for the first time.

It is therefore clear that only a DA government can root out crime and corruption, open fair access to real long-term jobs, speed up service delivery and build One South Africa for All.

Regards

Athol Trollip Cllr
NMB Councillor and DA Federal Chairperson

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