https://www.polity.org.za
Deepening Democracy through Access to Information
Home / News / All News RSS ← Back
Financial|Service|Services
Financial|Service|Services
financial|service|services
Close

Email this article

separate emails by commas, maximum limit of 4 addresses

Sponsored by

Close

Article Enquiry

VBS scandal: Limpopo premier at pains to explain why no action has been taken against implicated politicians

Close

Embed Video

VBS scandal: Limpopo premier at pains to explain why no action has been taken against implicated politicians

VBS scandal: Limpopo premier at pains to explain why no action has been taken against implicated politicians

8th November 2018

By: News24Wire

SAVE THIS ARTICLE      EMAIL THIS ARTICLE

Font size: -+

Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha was at pains to explain the VBS saga on Wednesday as public pressure mounts on the government and ruling party to act against those implicated.

The provincial government is accused of being quick to act against municipality officials who illegally invested money in VBS, but of being slack in acting against politicians, such as mayors.

Ten municipalities invested about R1.2-billion in the bank. Seven of them have since acted against officials found to have acted outside the bounds of the law.

Speaking to reporters in his Polokwane office on Wednesday afternoon, Mathabatha said: "As a province, we decided that remedial actions be taken against officials who may have acted outside the bounds and powers of the laws, including the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Public Finance Management Act."

However, he was at pains to explain why the mayors of some of the municipalities and politicians said to have given instructions to officials to invest funds with VBS, were still off the hook.

Prominent among them is mayor of Vhembe District Municipality (VDM), Florence Radzilani, who is also provincial deputy chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC), Danny Msiza who is ANC provincial treasurer and former Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) mayor, Gilbert Kganyago.

"It's not a government matter per se. Perhaps with Radzilani it may be by virtue of her being the mayor of Vhembe District Municipality," Mathabatha said.

He said officials at the ANC's headquarters at Luthuli House had handed the matter over to its Integrity Commission and they were told that as a province, the party would issue instructions on how to proceed regarding Radzilani and Msiza.

"We are not protecting politicians. Their day will come."

He said the issue of Kganyago, who is now a member of the provincial legislature, would be incorporated in the category of politicians implicated in the VBS scandal.

Current mayor at Capricorn District Municipality John Mpe placed all the events and circumstances that led to funds being invested into VBS squarely at Kganyago's door on Tuesday.

Mathabatha also revealed that some, if not all, of the 10 municipalities that invested in VBS were under financial stress and may need to be placed under administration. He pin-pointed the municipalities of Fetakgomo-Tubatse and Giyani as being in a dire situation.

"We will ensure that basic service provision continues unabated at local level. Recovery plans are being developed and implemented to ensure services are not compromised," Mathabatha said.

"I have also instructed the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Mr Jerry Ndou, to present in the next [executive committee meeting], municipalities that should be put under administration because of their inability to provide necessary services," he said.

The lingering VBS saga has since aroused the anger of trade unions which have threatened to make some municipalities ungovernable if no action is taken against mayors who were involved.

However, Mathabatha has appealed to unions to be calm.

"We appeal to the unions to be patient. The people we are suspending will be able to tell us whether they were instructed by politicians such as mayors. After that, you'll see action being taken."

Advertisement

EMAIL THIS ARTICLE      SAVE THIS ARTICLE

To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Comment Guidelines

About

Polity.org.za is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Engineering News
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa

Read more

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Polity.org.za is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options
Free daily email newsletter Register Now