Ghost worker scandal rocks Matatiele Municipality: three staff suspended
The Matatiele Local Municipality is grappling with a severe crisis as revelations emerge of ghost workers being paid for an entire year, resulting in a loss of approximately R221,000. The municipality has taken decisive action, suspending three employees implicated in the scandal pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
According to the sources close to the matter, the illicit payments, which occurred between February 2023 and May 2024, were orchestrated by two individuals in the finance department and one in the traffic department. These employees allegedly siphoned funds by depositing varying amounts, ranging from R15,000 to R75,000, into the account of a traffic department clerk during the salary disbursement process.
Municipal Manager Lizo Matiwane confirmed the precautionary suspension of the implicated employees as of May 28, 2024, emphasizing the municipality’s commitment to a thorough investigation by an independent body.
However, the scandal has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, with DA councillor Wonga Potwana condemning the apparent mismanagement as indicative of a “rotten municipality” under the leadership of the mayor and his administration. Potwana further criticized Matiwane for purportedly neglecting to audit his staff, questioning how such fraudulent activities could persist for seventeen months without detection.
Expressing outrage, Potwana demanded accountability, calling for criminal charges to be filed against the implicated officials. He announced the DA’s intention to open a case against Matiwane and advocated for the withholding of pensions to recoup the misappropriated funds.
As the investigation unfolds, the ghost worker scandal casts a shadow over the Matatiele Municipality, highlighting the urgent need for transparency and accountability within its ranks.
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