ActionSA Requests CoGTA MEC to Appoint Independent Company to Conduct Forensic Investigation into Alleged Fraud at Jozini Municipality

Yesterday, ActionSA wrote to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Ms Bongi Sithole-Moloi to request a forensic investigation at the Jozini Local Municipality after a case of fraud was uncovered by one of its staff members.

It came to light that an amount of R1.46 million was deposited into an account that does not match the one reflecting on the invoice of the municipality.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the beneficiary of the account matches that of a service provider, however, the service provider confirmed that the account number on the invoice does not belong to them.

Shockingly, it was revealed that a total of 5 payments had previously been made to the account number in question, using the reference of the service provider.

While the Municipal Manager stated that a criminal case was reported to the South African Police (SAPS), but our efforts to gain access to the case number have been fruitless, which raises doubts about whether the case was indeed reported.

Although the municipality has expressed intentions to investigate the matter internally, the severity of the crime and potential involvement of senior management raise concerns about conflict of interest.

In light of these developments, ActionSA has written to Ms Sithole-Moloi, urging her to confirm whether the case was indeed reported to SAPS, and to appoint an independent company to conduct a forensic investigation into the matter.

We believe that the presence of an independent investigation is necessary to ensure transparency and to uncover any additional cases of fraud and corruption that may have slipped through the cracks

The integrity of our local government and the trust of our community are at stake, and it is essential that the MEC makes a swift decisive action is taken to address this issue.

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Email