THE ANC in Limpopo has fired the Thulamela Local Municipality mayor in the Vhembe District for his part in the municipality investing with the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank.
In a statement on Thursday, Provincial Secretary Soviet Lekganyane said the decision to recall Mushoni Tshifhango was taken from the recommendations of the party's Regional Executive Committee (REC) in Vhembe in its June special council sitting.
This comes to the backdrop of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, on Wednesday releasing a scathing report on allegations of improper conduct and maladministration by 14 municipalities in Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.
Lekganyane said in the statement: “The Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the ANC in Limpopo has taken a decision to recall the Mayor of the Thulamela Local Municipality, Comrade Mushoni Tshifhango, for his involvement that led to the municipality unlawfully investing public funds in the former Venda Burial Society (VBS) – a bank that is not registered in terms of the Banks Act, no 94 of 1990.”
He said the decision to invest funds into VBS was in contrast with the municipality’s Investment Policy, which states that: ‘Council has the responsibility to invest public funds judiciously’.
“These investments were carried out, despite VBS’s failure to provide Council with its credit rating report – the Mayor has failed to monitor and oversee the exercise of responsibilities assigned in terms of the MFMA, and provide diligent leadership in the matter.”
After consultation with the REC, current speaker Humbulani Patricia Mulovhedzi will be the new Mayor for the municipality for the remainder of the current term of office in local government, Lekganyane said.
“ANC is faced with the litmus test of being a catalyst for development in the municipality, and Mulovhedzi has demonstrated her impeccable leadership skills in the tasks that she had been charged with, for the past 15 years as a Municipal Councillor.”
Pretoria News