The City of Johannesburg has shortlisted independent candidates to serve on the Financial Misconduct Board (FMB).

The FMB is the city's disciplinary board, renamed and reconstituted, to fight corruption and the theft of the city's resources. 

The council adopted it on 27 May, and candidates were shortlisted on Monday after calls to the public, which closed on 18 August 2022.

Joburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse said the new board was a further step towards getting the body working "to root out the theft of city resources by city and entity officials working for self-gain".

She said the FMB gave certain powers to the mayor, mayoral committee, and the city manager to improve the board's implementation and functionality.

"Furthermore, in order to ensure its independence, at least three of the five members of the FMB will be external appointments."

The FMB will be mandated to:

• Assist the council and the city with investigating allegations of financial misconduct;
• Investigate allegations of financial misconduct in the municipality and/or entities upon receipt of instruction from the council or the city manager;
• Prepare and submit reports to the council, the mayoral committee and city manager as appropriate for each case;
• Provide recommendations on further steps to be taken regarding disciplinary proceedings or any other relevant actions to be taken; and
• Monitor the institution of disciplinary proceedings against an alleged transgressor.

"The Joburg multiparty government is eager to induct the FMB and get it working so that matters relating to the misuse and abuse of residents' money are thoroughly investigated and acted upon," said Phalatse.

"This is certainly a significant step towards rooting out corruption in the city."

At the adoption of the FMB on 27 May, Phalatse said by agreeing on the new board, the council "recognises the shortcomings of the now former disciplinary board to fight and eradicate nefarious acts by city officials and eliminates the confusion between the FMB and other disciplinary structures within the city".