The FF Plus welcomes the investigation into possible corruption with Covid-19 tenders at the Ugu District Municipality (Harding, Hibberdene, Margate, Pennington, Port Edward, Port Shepstone, Scottburgh/Umzinto North, Southbroom).
According to the KwaZulu Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Sipho Hlomuka, KwaZulu Natal municipalities spent an amount of R749,5 million on Covid-19 related expenses from 15 March to 11 September 2020.
The Ugu District Municipality's expenses in this regard amount to a staggering R28 876 322 million.
COGTA has asked that the current financial reports must be reviewed to highlight any unauthorised expenditures and to ensure that the correct procurement procedures were followed at all times. A complete list of the current approved service providers that were used during this time must also be provided.
The MEC, furthermore, confirmed that there are problems with the water tank service delivery tender and gave the relevant municipal officials 21 days to implement a plan of action to address the problems and prevent a recurrence.
It is disappointing that the Ugu District Municipality, which was once considered one of the best managed districts in KwaZulu Natal, has now apparently also fallen into the trap of corruption.
The investigation into corruption at the Municipality is welcomed and the FF Plus demands that the guilty members of management and officials must be held accountable.
The FF Plus refuses to stand idly by and watch as money, which is supposed to be used to provide services to those who need it, is looted by unscrupulous officials.
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