Masilonyana Local Municipality’s chief financial officer has taken his fight with the mayor to another level.
Amos Makoae’s has requested disciplinary action be taken against accountant Andile Dingiswayo, an ally of mayor Dimakatso Modise.
In a letter to Dingiswayo, Makoae informed him that he had requested disciplinary procedures be instituted against him for misconduct.
Makoae accused Dingiswayo of having processed payments to service providers without having followed the proper payment procedures.
He asked Dingiswayo to explain in detail how a financial accountant firm or a company unblocked the sewerage and rented out the fleet to the municipality.
The service providers are NKM Financial Accountants and Tshimata (Pty) Ltd.
Earlier this year, Mofokeng was accused of running a smear campaign to get Makoae fired after Mokae had raised concerns about contracts, payments and unspent conditional grants.
An internal audit had picked up red flags against Dingiswayo and invoices regarding the payment of certain contracts were demanded.
Makoae told Dingiswayo that the internal auditors wanted the invoices. However, Dingiswayo reported Makoae to Modise who, in response, allegedly established a smear campaign to remove the CFO.
Dingiswayo did not respond to questions the Sunday Independent sent to him.
Masilonyana spokesperson Zongezile Ntjwabule said the municipality did not intend to comment on a leaked letter that could not be authenticated.
“Neither do we believe that the mayor will be interested in commenting on the leaked document,” said Ntjwabule.
Earlier this year, Ntjwabule denied that Dingiswayo was making payments to contractors, saying the CFO was accountable for municipal expenditures.
In his letter, Makaoe said Dingiswayo should account for the more than R2 million that has been paid to NKM and Tshimata.
The payments are:
- R198 000 to NKM Financial for unblocking the sewer on January 25, 2023.
- R198 000 to Tshimata for unblocking the sewer on January 25, 2023.
- R1 032 900 to Tshimata for water trucks on July 11, 2023.
- R713 700 to NKM Financial for water trucks on July 12, 2023.
Makoae said Dingiswayo should submit all the supporting documentation for the water truck payments.
“After a letter was written to you for response regarding non-compliance with the internal audit information request, your response was furnished without any supporting documentation which leaves the possibility that payments were made without any supporting documentation,” said Makoae.
He said Dingiswayo had failed to act in the best interest of the municipality when he had exposed Masilonyana to risk and fraud by paying R1 800 (R450x4) to repair old tyres on for each municipal vehicle that had been taken in for repairs.
He added that R518 300 had been spent between December 2022 and March 2023.
Makoae said that on August 15, Dingiswayo had indicated that he was ill. Upon his return, he was supposed to have submitted the relevant medical certificate but nothing has been submitted.
“Your failure to report for duty consistently during the period, 5th August 2024 to 26th August 2024, reporting for an average of 3 hours per day and leaving the office without alerting your immediate supervisor of your whereabouts.”
The bankrupt Masilonyana had been struggling to pay the salaries of employees on time. The municipality was also struggling to pay pension funds to its retired workers.
Masilonyana is also among struggling Free State municipalities that owe Eskom and water boards billions.
The Special Investigating Unit also launched an investigation into alleged maladministration with the municipality after the signing of proclamation 182 of 2024 by President Cyril Ramaphosa. This is part of the investigation targeting irregularities in multiple municipalities.