Pretoria - Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has called on the Limpopo government to implement the 2018 recommendations of the VBS report, made by advocate Terry Motau.
A total of 14 municipalities in Limpopo, North West and Gauteng lost billions of public funds meant for service delivery after illegally investing in the now defunct VBS mutual bank.
Motau’s report titled “The Great Bank Heist” recommended that council speakers and Co-operative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) provincial MEC Basikopo Makamu hold those responsible to account.
However, Mkhwebane has now accused Makamu and council speakers of “dragging their feet” in implementing the VBS report recommendations.
She was speaking at the provincial legislature in Lebowakgomo on Wednesday where she met provincial speaker Rosemary Molapo, Premier Stan Mathabatha, and several MECs as part of a nationwide stakeholder roadshow.
In June last year Mkhwebane ordered the council speakers of Makhado, Vhembe, Collins Chabane, Elias Motsoaledi, Greater Giyani, Ephraim Mogale, Tubatse Fetakgomo and Lepelle Nkumpi municipalities to ensure that any outstanding recommendations made in Motau’s forensic report be considered by councils for implementation.
Mkhwebane said: “In addition, provincial Coghsta MECs had to submit regular reports to the director-general of the National Treasury with their comments where appropriate on the implementation of the remedial action. This, too, is outstanding.
“Municipal managers were to have submitted implementation plans to us within 60 days from the date of this report, 28 June 2021, indicating how the remedial action was to be implemented. Sadly, we have not heard from the affected municipalities.”
She added that without a court order setting aside the report, the remedial action was to have been complied with within the prescribed period.
Makamu said his office was ready to work on implementing the remedial actions but appealed to Mkhwebane to consult all stakeholders when preparing reports.
Pretoria News