City of Joburg’s Economic development MMC Nkulululeko Mbundu is skating on thin ice as opposition parties in Council are calling for his immediate suspension due to serious allegations of corruption that his facing.
Mbundu is a councilor of the new kid on a block Party (Action SA), ActionSA is a political party established by former mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, soon after he left the Democratic Alliance.ActionSA forms part of the multiparty government led by the DA in the City.
The city of Johannesburg is the economic powerhouse of South Africa, Johannesburg generates 17 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, mostly through the manufacturing, retail, service industry sectors, and housing top global companies within the metro.
Johannesburg’s economic development MMC Nkululeko Mbundu is embroiled in a municipality tender row. The ActionSA councillor remains in office while officially under investigation for allegedly breaching the Municipal Finance Management Act. https://t.co/vzCMqoUSFt
— Daily Maverick (@dailymaverick) June 12, 2022
The councillor is being accused of overstepping his line of duty at the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) a property assets agency of the City by tampering with its tender processes
Since then the investigation is underway and has been undertaken by the council Speaker Vasco da Gama’s office for allegedly breaching the Municipal Finance Management Act “The silence by Phalatse against the damning allegations of improper conduct by Mbundu is worrisome. The failure of Phalatse to act against Mbundu soils the good governance rhetoric she’s been pushing since coming into office,” said shadow MMC for Economic Development councilor Tefo Raphadu.
Raphadu further said “National Treasury has weighed into the Improper Interference by Mbudu in the Procurement Process of the JPC. It is in contravention of Chapter 15 Municipal Finance Management Act. The interference by the MMC to meet and discuss the Bill of Quantity (BOQ) with the Quantity Surveyor is irregular and outside his role and responsibility as MMC. BOQ and procurement processes are the sole responsibility of Supply Chain Management”.
Raphadu said there’s a popular view that wants the process to be restarted “Concerning the current bidders, there is no way of telling who the information of the BOQ has been shared with and thus subsequently taints the fairness of the entire process,” added Raphundu
The opposition party(ANC) in the Metro has shared their dissatisfaction with the matter and has opened a case against Mbundu with the hope that the law enforcement agencies to act on this matter.
“The ANC Joburg Caucus reiterates its call to Mayor Phalatse, that MMC Mbundu is suspended with immediate effect. The multiparty government led by the DA must not protect its position to remain in government by shielding those who are corrupt,” Raphadu said.
Al Jama-ah Gauteng Provincial Secretary councilor Kabelo Gwamanda said the problem with this particular matter is that there is compelling evidence about Mbundu.”
This is not the first time that the MMC is being caught up in a corruption scandal, yet Phalatse as opposed to taking a leadership role and doing oversight over her MMC because they have her delegated powers meaning that she is complicit in having them remain in office to perform their duties on behalf of the city.
MMC @NkuliMbundu handing over his reply to the office of the Speaker of Council. ActionSA caucus is fully behind the MMC. We have confidence that the process will exonerate Cllr Mbundu. @MMC4Transport @HermanMashaba @SabeloChalufu @SthembeloMajola @KhomoMashala @ActionsaF pic.twitter.com/CWaSI8WErG
— ActionSA JHB Caucus (@ActionSA_JHB) June 15, 2022
ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson Bongani Baloyi has condemned any kind of corruption by its representatives and promised action of such act will be taken without any hesitation, “ActionSA is committed to providing ethical leadership to the people they serve. We will ensure that our representatives submit to any investigation and provide the highest levels of transparency,” said Baloyi.
ActionSA Member of Mayoral Committee
Source of Article:The Star
