Johannesburg - The Mangaung Seven, or M7, as they have become popularly known, have called on ANC Mangaung Regional Secretary Sabelo Pitso to formally answer if he was a ghost worker at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality between December 2021 and June 2022.
The seven councillors, who have for several weeks kept the municipality on its feet, fighting off allegations of corruption, say they have information linking the regional secretary to being a ghost worker at the municipality.
Four of the seven candidates, Mpho Mokoakoa, Lelala Makoa, Chabedi Rampai, and Lehlohonolo Moqolo, have already been approved by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and are registered as independent candidates.
Sabelo Pitso received R119 669.97 from the municipality on March 30, 2022, according to documents obtained by The Star.
"This can be obtained in the report signed by then Acting Payroll Manager, Tshwaro Ledibane, HOD: Corporate Services, David Nkaiseng, and CFO, Sabata Mofokeng, on March 10, 2022. The proof is at hand. Corruption has been the order of the day at the municipality. That’s why we must vote the ANC out of Mangaung," they said.
The seven have alleged that, during his time as an alleged ghost worker, Pitso didn't report to any of the City offices across seven regions, but instead reported to Kaizer Sebothelo House, the ANC Free State headquarters.
These former ANC councillors, who were expelled by the party in March, are set to take on their former party during the next by-elections in the province.
This week, The Star also reported that these former councillors have become vocal against the alleged corruption in the municipality. They have also lamented other issues of corruption, including allegations that the government of the city has privatised Bloemfontein Stadium for the "usage of white people only", and the alleged disappearance of R150 million from the council’s coffers.
Attempts to get a comment from Pitso proved unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The Star