Sunday Independent reports that the Greater Tzaneen Municipality in Limpopo has suspended its municipal manager, Serapelo Matlala, for taking a hardline stance against tender fraud, corruption and irregularities worth millions of rand.
According to sources, internal documents and court papers, Matlala met his fate after terminating two multi-million contracts awarded to a Burgersfort-based company after it allegedly inflated prices halfway through the projects. Matlala also saved the struggling municipality about R1.3 million by cutting overtime budget from R3m to R1.7m. Matlala has filed an urgent application in the Labour Court seeking an order to set aside his suspension and the matter will be heard on 28 November. His lawyer, Ramafalo Mahodiela, said Matlala’s suspension was unlawful and commented further that: “Our client has acted responsibly and correctly in relation to the road contracts. It was established that the contractor made misrepresentations in its tender submission which renders the tenders invalid.” Matlala’s woes started when he tried to clean up financial mismanagement at the municipality, but that did not sit well with those allegedly benefiting from corruption. Unhappy with his hardline stance, municipal councillors then resolved to suspend Matlala on allegations of misconduct. A municipal spokesperson indicated that the council delegated Mayor Maripe Mangena to appoint an independent investigator within seven days of the date of suspension and then table a report within 30 days.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kenneth Mokgatlhe at Sunday Independent
- Read too, Council manager to challenge suspension in labour court, at SowetanLive
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