Metro accused of stalling on probe, wasting money

By Max Matavire Metro Editor

THE Scorpions say they are wasting hundreds of thousands of rand travelling to Port Elizabeth for scheduled interviews with metro officials, who then cancel them and fail to supply the requested information.

Three different operatives, who did not want to be named for professional reasons, said the metro was “wasting a lot of ratepayers’ money in terms of resources when we come to the metro to investigate but do not get anything”.

The hard-hitting allegation follows confirmation last week by the elite investigating unit’s regional director responsible for special operations, Mbulelo Mapoma, that the metro was not co-operating with the Scorpions.

One operative said many investigators, sometimes in teams of 20-strong, had been dispatched to the metro.

“They have to sleep in hotels, they use petrol and other resources.

“Why should the metro engage the services of outside investigators who they have to pay when there are government agents, like the Scorpions, they can use for free?”

The metro has on numerous occasions engaged forensic investigators from Johannesburg to conduct probes within the organisation.

The Scorpions have now threatened to subpoena senior metro staff and seize documents in a desperate bid to complete the corruption investigations which are allegedly being frustrated by the metro.

The ANC, meanwhile, says it is worried by the numerous allegations of corruption levelled against its cadres in council and has vowed to support any investigation aimed at weeding out corruption within the institution.

Describing the allegations made against metro councillors and officials as “disturbing”, the party said it would take disciplinary action against those found to have been corrupt. Speaking in an interview with The Herald at the weekend following on the many reports of allegations of corruption in the ANC-led council, ANC regional chairman Vuyo Toto said the party was committed to clean governance.

“The ANC’s position in relation to corruption and maladministration is that we uphold principles of clean and corruption-free governance,” said Toto.

“We are discomforted by these numerous reports of allegations of corruption levelled against the party’s representatives in council.

“The ANC will take disciplinary action and severe steps against those comrades who are found to be on the wrong side of the law.”

Toto said the party had held discussions with its councillors and welcomed corruption investigations in the metro by investigating agents.

“We want those investigations to be done so that we prove whether the allegations are true or not and to find who the culprits are,” said Toto.

He said the ANC regional executive council had instructed its councilors to speed up and conclude the investigation, especially those levelled against the metro’s human resources department and the housing department.

“At this stage, the ANC cannot act on any individuals until there is substantive evidence of corruption.”

Toto said the party was organising a meeting between Local Government and Housing MEC Gugile Nkwinti, the mayoral committee, and its metro leadership with the sole purpose of speeding up corruption investigations.

“We want to ensure the public that the ANC will leave no stone unturned in exposing corruption and maladministration in all its forms of manifestation,” said Toto.

“We want to assure the public that despite these disturbing allegations, the party is doing much to improve the standard of living of its people.”