Municipal mayor paid two salaries - claim
2011-07-21 23:04
Pretoria - The DA has laid fraud charges against Thaba Chweu municipal mayor Moses Marobela for allegedly receiving two salaries.
"The charges were laid at the Lydenburg police station on Wednesday in the interest of the public good... ," local Democratic Alliance caucus leader Sonja Boshoff said in a statement on Thursday.
Marobela was allegedly still receiving a salary from the Limpopo education department, for working as principal of Maremisha High School in Leboeng village, in addition to getting a salary as mayor.
Comment from metro spokesperson Puleng Mapheto could not immediately be obtained.
Marobela took office after the May 18 local government elections.
Boshoff said while it was not illegal for public office bearers to earn income from more than one source, they had to declare it. She intended asking Mpumalanga Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Madala Masuku whether he had declared his principal's salary.
Mpumlanga Education MEC Namane Dickson Masemolato would also be asked if Marobela had resigned as principal, and why he was still being paid.
The municipality has seen several corruption scandals.
In 2009, over R3m disappeared from the municipality’s main account, sparking a protest by local residents. It recently publicly admitted to being unable to account for R7m.
Another allegation emanated on Thursday that the municipality could not account for R2m, paid by an insurance company for damages to a library in Mashishing (Lydenburg), a municipal building and a number of vehicles, including tractors, during service delivery protests.
The DA has called for an independent forensic investigation into Thaba Chweu's finances.
- SAPA
