Theto Mahlakoana
THE newly elected president of the SA Municipal Union (Samwu) has vowed to clamp down on corruption within the union, which is yet to account for a missing R136 million.
The organisation faced a revolt from members after its leaders were accused of stealing the millions from union coffers.
Pule Molalenyane said in an interview with Independent Media that he planned to clean up the organisation’s image and ensure it was once more primarily focused on serving its members.
“We will ensure perpetrators are removed from this union. We will not tolerate that from anyone, irrespective of the position that individual holds,” said the Samwu leader.
Molalenyane might have to act on his word if suspicion surrounding re-elected general secretary Walter Theledi over the missing millions is proven.
Theledi is said to have negotiated with the authorities after he was subpoenaed by the Hawks to apparently answer questions over his role.
The union’s former financial consultant, Samuel Phaswane, was arrested earlier this year for allegedly transferring millions from union coffers to his personal account, and questions linger over whether he acted alone.
The new president said he looked forward to the start of Phaswane’s trial as he believes it would offer them much-needed clues about who else was involved.
“We are looking forward to court outcomes and if it implicates any official or office-bearers, we would allow the law to take its course. We will not protect anyone because we are fighting corruption in municipalities, so if it comes to us, we must also make people account,” he said.
The congress at which new deputy general secretary Koena Ramotlou and treasurer Portia Lindi were appointed also conceded that the past year had been “difficult” for the union.
Pointing to the multiple litigations against Samwu by an expelled faction, which has now established a splinter union, the congress assigned fault for its challenges on “individuals who believed they were bigger than the union”.
Just like its federation Cosatu, the union found that its constitution also had shortcomings which made it vulnerable to abuse.
Samwu dissidents were able to win some of their cases against the union in the past.
The union also committed to establishing a political bureau, which will guide its “political direction and ideological posture”.
The need likely arose after members of the union sided with former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and the metalworkers union Numsa in the initial stages of the turmoil in the federation.
They later retracted their stance. In a surprise move, the new president also extended an olive branch to those who had left when disunity reigned.