Johannesburg - Three Kannaland Municipality officials were arrested by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team for fraud of R338 million on Thursday.
The municipal manager later handed himself over to the Hawks offices.
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the Director of Corporate Services Hendrick Barnard, the former chief financial officer Nigel Delo, the Municipal Manager Morne Hoogbaard and the Human Resources Manager, McGrandile Makier appeared in the Ladismith Magistrate’s Court and were released on bail.
Mogale said the accused were released on R15 000 bail each. The matter was postponed to January 26, 2022 in the Oudtshoorn Regional Court.
“It is alleged that they defrauded the municipality of more than R338 million by enriching themselves through fraudulent appointments in senior positions, acting allowances and the company owned by one of them benefited whilst the owner was working for the municipality,” Mogale said.
On 14 November IOL News reported that a new law would soon be on its way to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s desk to clamp down on municipal officials involved in corruption to easily move over and join other municipalities without being held accountable.
Chairperson of the select committee on Co-operative Governance, Traditional Affairs, Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements in the National Council of Provinces, China Dodovu confirmed that they had passed this key piece of legislation.
Dodovu said the Municipal Systems Amendment Bill would go before the House soon and then to Ramaphosa to be signed into law.
His committee adopted the bill two weeks ago and it deals with cracking down on senior municipal officials facing corruption charges, evading accountability by joining other councils.
POLITICAL BUREAU