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R4
Rural areas: FREE • Platteland: GRATIS
6 September 2013
GTM implodes Fear lessl y the tr uth
The implosion of the Greater Tzaneen Municipality seems to be inevitable. An urgent special meeting of the council last week, might not be enough to avoid the GTM finally collapsing. The Bulletin can today exclusively confirm that a shocking R90 million has been grossly misspent. The list of problems encountered in the GTM’s obvious mismanaged financial portfolio, is growing and drastic intervension is now needed. The following matters are indicative of the deep rot in the GTM: An almost R3 million golden handshake for the GTM’s previous legal officer, adv Nkopodi Phatudi; Indications that the GTM has to find some R7 million to finance a shortfall on the Claude Wheatley and Sasekani road projects; An alleged advance that was paid to a contractor (Bulletin has the name of the contractor, but we have been advised to withold disclosure for now) of millions of rands, for a project he never completed; A panicked scramble ensued during August to pay salaries on time and in full; The GTM need to increase its ovderdraft facility, since cash flow has almost dried up; Moody’s announcement that the GTM’s negative risk profile is seriously hampering the GTM’s ability to qualify for loans; The GTM’s annual financial statements should have been handed in to the treasury on or before 31 August, but they failed to
Deposition The Bulletin has come to the end of the road with the GTM’s wilful failure to communicate with us in our enquiries into municipal matters that have bearing on the community. If they don’t take ages to respond, they simply ignore our written requests for information or comment. Our staff are also
meet the deadline. At last weeks’ crisis meeting of the council, a firm decision was taken to bring to book those involved in corrupt activities. The council also adopted a resolution that Municipal Manager Masiye Mankabidi and the mayor, Ms Dikeledi Mmetle, must launch an investigation into the matters. The Annual Financial Report exposes the irregular expenditure of R90 million. It is not yet clear how the money was spent. The council also raised concern over the conduct of the newly appointed Supply Chain Manager, Mr Leon Mashao, whom they said have falsely and unlawfully signed tender documents to benefit certain contractors working on the Sasekani to NkowaNkowa Road and Claude Wheatley Street in Tzaneen. Mr Neville Ndlala, GTM spokesperson, confirmed the reports of the irregular expenditure of R90 million. Asked about possible action against Mashao, Ndlala said they have a Municipal Employee Disciplinary process which are regulated by the main collective agreement entered upon by the GTM, through SALGA and recognized labour unions (SAMWU and IMATU). “It would therefore be procedurally unfair for us to discuss internal individual disciplinary matters in the media or in public,” he added. • This report by Francois Aucamp, Michael Sakuneka & Louis Roux.
being intimidated by the GTM’s spokesperson, which we refuse to accept. Sadly this is the outcome in spite of the GTM’s committment to cultivate open communication with us and the media in general. We apologise that we cannot honour our ethical obligation to respect the audi alteram partem rule (“hear the other side of the story”). — Editor
‘Skole het nie banke nodig nie’ ‘n Vrag ou skoolbanke is verlede week by ‘n skrootwerf in Tzaneen in stukke opgesny, glo omdat dit tyd is om dit te veravng. Intussen sit op talle plekke steeds kinders onder bome plat op die grond, omdat hulle geen meubels het nie. Daar word nou gevra of die ou skoolbanke nie maar aan dié skole beskikbaar gestel kon
Spring Festival
word nie. Mense wat bewus is van die toedrag van sake sê dit is skokkend en onvergeeflik dat die kinders in die veld nie in ag geneem is vir die tydelike gebruik van die meubels nie. Ons het dié foto van ‘n werker by die skrootwerf wat die banke in stukke gesny het, bekom — nadat ons aanvanklik verjaag is.
Inside today