ActionSA Dismisses Claims Against MMC, Notes Commitment to Accountability

ActionSA has taken note of allegations made by a municipal official at the Johannesburg Property Company against ActionSA MMC of Economic Development, Cllr Nkuli Mbundu.

A thorough assessment of the allegations has been done. This process included obtaining information and responses from MMC Mbundu, which have provided sufficient basis for ActionSA to conclude that MMC Mbundu has acted both within the bounds of the law and in the best interests of the residents of Johannesburg.

We are particularly pleased that in keeping with ActionSA’s commitment to ethical leadership, MMC Mbundu has written to the Speaker of Council welcoming an investigation into this matter and fully availing himself to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

The allegations relate to claims of MMC Mbundu involving himself in the procurement processes of JPC.

Arising from our investigations, ActionSA can confirm that:

• MMC Mbundu investigated a budget allocation for fencing at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto.
• The outcome of the investigation demonstrated that this was yet another project with vastly inflated costs beyond market related value for the project.
• This particular project involved fencing being quoted at R5.2 million when market related pricing revealed R2 million to be the appropriate costing. The Bill of Quantities also inflated the amount of fencing from the required 7 hectares to 13 hectares.
• JPC has a long history of suspected corruption by senior officials who inflate municipal tenders far beyond market value.
• MMC Mbundu is spear-heading efforts to clear out corrupt practices and implicated officials within JPC and already a number of forensic investigations are coming to finality.
• The letter of complaint by the senior JPC official was written more than 2 months after the events in question, casting aspersions on the intent behind the complaint.

MMC Mbundu’s efforts to tackle corruption and to pass the informal trading by-laws have, undoubtedly, placed a political target on his back. JPC has long been a trough from which political elites have feasted in Johannesburg and MMC Mbundu’s diligence is a direct threat to the livelihoods of the corrupt.

ActionSA welcomes MMC Mbundu’s publicised commitment to transparency and accountability as consistent with our values relating to ethical leadership. We also acknowledge his bona fides in fighting for public money to be respected within this municipal entity.

Having said this, ActionSA’s leadership has made it abundantly clear to MMC Mbundu that any wrongdoing will be acted upon without hesitation should any evidence to the contrary come to light, and MMC Mbundu acknowledges this standard applicable to all ActionSA public representatives. 

ActionSA is committed to providing ethical leadership to the people of South Africa. We will ensure that our representatives submit to any investigation and provide the highest levels of transparency.

Where our representatives do what is right for the people they serve, we will defend them without reservation. Where our representatives do not live up to this standard, we will act decisively.