While the municipality has decided to take no action with regard to a contract that saw millions of rand squandered, applications from nearly 100 non-profit organisations which rely heavily on municipal funding to continue their good work have been rejected.
Its decision not to act against the company and official implicated in a forensic report is partly based on the National Prosecuting Authority electing not to pursue fraud allegations relating to the three-year municipal contract which was initially capped at R10m, but saw R20m spent only halfway through.
The municipality’s disciplinary board has found that it is too late to act against the official, who no longer works for the municipality, and the council subsequently decided last week to let him off the hook.
The board also found that no official could be held liable for another contract that saw a company, which was hired through an unsolicited bid, spend R22.4m on splashy legacy events and hare-brained record-breaking attempts.
Cash was forked out on artwork, hotels, an overseas holiday, fancy whisky and restaurants — with one bill topping R20,000, according to a Weekend Post article a few years ago.
“A further investigation would need to be conducted to establish if any officials committed any misconduct,” the board chair wrote.
“It is the view of the board, while this is the ideal position, given the lapse of time from when this incident took place, it would be very hard to explain taking action some seven years later.”
So, two matters and millions of wasted rand that have now effectively been written off with no consequences for those involved.
Meanwhile, non-profits which assist the most vulnerable groups, including women, children and the aged, have had their funding requests denied.
There is something seriously wrong with this scenario.
Would these officials so blithely allow companies and individuals implicated in irregularities to escape the consequences of their actions if their children were starving, their mothers or sisters were being abused or their elderly relatives relied on these organisations to survive?
It is absolutely shameful that organisations which do such wonderful work within communities, many of which are facing closure because of a lack of funding, are being denied crucial assistance while millions of rand are squandered without consequence.
HeraldLIVE