Garden Route District Municipality Mayor, Memory Booysen welcomes the municipality’s swift action in dealing with alleged fraud. Picture: File
The Garden Route District Municipality has opened cases of fraud against two employees and a supplier after payments worth more than R450 000 were made for goods the municipality never received.
Municipal Manager Monde Statru said in a statement that cases were opened against two suspended officials and a supplier for the alleged fraud.
The pair were first suspended on September 7 for other transgressions unrelated to the fraud cases.
“The Municipality has conducted a preliminary investigation and the supplier has agreed to pay back the money that was not due and payable. This payment relates to the procurement of premix and slurry bags,” he said.
Stratu said the Municipal Finance Management Act clearly states that an the accounting officer must report to the police all cases of alleged irregular expenditure that constitute a criminal offence; and theft and fraud that occurred in the municipality.
To date R450 731 has been recovered by the municipality and with the investigation still ongoing, an exact figure of how much was syphoned is yet to be determined.
Mayor Memory Booysen said thanked the administration for probing the alleged procurement irregularities.
“Corruption at our municipality will not be tolerated because it takes away the scarce resources that are set aside from public funds,” said Booysen.
Booysen stated that the Garden Route District Municipality remains committed to working together with the public and private sectors to ensure that corrupt elements in the private and public sectors face the full wrath of the law.