‘Not true' – Municicpal Manager responds to ‘defamatory' DA allegations

The Citizen

3 days ago

Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni has responded to the shocking allegations that he awarded R1 billion in tenders to 'two associates' for electrification projects, saying the allegations are defamatory and false.
He denied any involvement in tender irregularities and say that the municipality appointed 10 service providers for electrification projects, not two as the DA alleges.
Mnguni says that the 2024/2025 capital budget amounted to less than R300 million, reflecting previous years.
'We don't have that kind of money,' he said.
Mnguni says he's works tirelessly to expose corruption within the municipality, and suggests that this may be the reason for him being targeted with smear campaigns.
According to the DA, a whistleblower accused Mnguni last week of awarding tenders to the value of R1 billion to two known associates, despite the the tender adjudication committee warning against a possible conflict of interest.
The DA further alleges that Mnguni accepted a home and a farm as well as the use of a helicopter for his ambulance business, in kickbacks after the tenders were awarded.
The DA furthermore alleges Mnguni ignored two legal opinions, warning against the awarding of the tenders.
'The tender and appointment documents prove otherwise, and I challenge the DA to provide concrete evidence to the contrary,' Mnguni just told Middelburg Observer.
'I have nothing to hide' he says.
Mnguni's crackdown on corruption has already resulted in a slew of suspensions while forensic investigations were commissioned.
The crackdown has also resulted in the recent resignations of the former Chief Financial Officer Mothiba Mogofe, former Execuive Director for Infrastructure Reginah Makgata and the former Director of Council and Administrative Support, Sbu Masilela.
A while ago Mnguni also faced an internal complaint against him for interference with a management appointment process.
Nothing has come of the complaint, which Mnguni also denied.
Mnguni was unanimously appointed by council following the departure of Bheki Khenisa.
'We are cleaning house and someone prefers it dirty,' Mnguni says about the faceless whistleblower.
The allegations has resulted in the Municipal Public Accounts Committee, chaired by the DA's Alderman Hennie Niemann to launch an investigation.
Niemann says preliminary findings will be released within 21-days.