Allegations of bribery against ANC councillor in KwaZulu-Natal spark investigation
Image: Independent Media / Archive
An ANC councillor in Mandeni Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal north coast, is in trouble following a leaked phone call recorder voice clip in which she allegedly solicited a R100 000 bribe from a company that was awarded a tender to tar a gravel road in her ward.
The allegation emerged after a voice clip circulated on social media, in which Ward 11 Councillor Lungile Mthembu was allegedly heard discussing a payment with a contractor known only as Gcabashe, who was awarded the tender in December last year.
Speaker Phindile Sishi, who confirmed that the municipality was aware of the clip, told this reporter that she had called a council meeting on Friday in which Mthembu will be questioned about the allegation.
Sishi said the tender was among many that were estimated to cost R2 million each to tar rural access roads.
When contacted about the matter, Mthembu, who is the municipality's Community Services and Public Safety Portfolio Committee member, referred this reporter to the municipality's communication department.
In the voice clip - which is in the possession of this reporter, Gcabashe is heard telling Mthembu that he could only pay her R10 000, but she complained that the amount was too small.
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Mthembu complained that Gcabashe was rushing the road project, to which Gcabashe responded that he had to rush because it was too expensive to hire the machines.
She then said she was checking how Gcabashe had arranged it, to which Gcabashe said he was going to see her with 'something'.
She then said it was discussed in the council that there should be no subcontractors and purchasing of quarry stones, as it was available at the municipality.
Gcabashe, who this reporter could not locate for comment, allegedly told Mthembu that he had already bought the stones from Inkosi Mhlongo for R100 per load 'as we had no choice'.
Mthembu went on to ask why the stones were not sourced from the municipality, of which Gcabashe said it would have delayed the project, as there were many other people who collected them from the municipality.
Mthembu allegedly asked how much Gcabashe was bringing without making it clear whether or not she was talking about money.
Gcabashe said he was 'looking at my numbers', and said he 'did not know how much you are expecting'.
'How much is Gcabashe expecting to give us?' she asked.
When Gcabeshe said it was R10 000, Mthembu exclaimed 'hawu!'
Gcabashe asked how much they were expecting.
'Right now, we are discussing when the work has already been done and Indians have also taken the money.
'I want you, councillor, to state how much you are expecting,' said Gcabashe.
She said since there was 'PR babu Magwaza, whom I work with, I think R10 000 is too little. If we can get something like R100 000,' she is heard to have said.
Gcabeshe complained about the amount, saying the stones have already cost him a lot of money.
'The matter is that others who are with us get 300 000, others get 200 000, and as a person who is with us, give us 100 000,' said Mthembu.
Gcabashe promised to come back to Mthembu 'as I am still busy with the consultant.'
In a statement released on Tuesday, the municipality expressed concern about a voice recording, which it said was circulating on social media 'implicating two of its councillors in a plot to solicit money from a contractor.'
The matter has been referred to the office of the speaker.
'It is being processed through relevant structures of council as guided by the relevant legislative frameworks, Code of Conduct for Councillors, as well as the Rules and Orders of Council.
'Furthermore, the municipality would like to reiterate its stance against any form of corruption and maladministration.
'We also want to caution all our staff and councillors to always uphold integrity and professionalism while executing their duties,' read the statement.
Sishi told this reporter that Mthembu did not deny the allegations.
'But she said she was not asking for a bribe, but wanted to start a program in her ward,' said Sishi.
Sishi said the municipality did not have a committee that had a responsibility to ask money from contractors for community projects.
'The councillor is also not allowed to ask for money from the contractor,' she said.
EFF councillor Siyabonga Mdletshe said the solicitation of bribes was rife in the municipality, which caused contractors to abandon projects unfinished after they ran out of money to pay bribes.
'If a contractor is working in your ward when you demand payment, it is obvious that you are now selling the tender to that person.
'You demand that since you gave him to a tender, he must pay you, which is extortion,' said Mdletshe.
The EFF said it had long warned that projects meant for the benefit of the people, such as roads, water infrastructure, sanitation, and housing, are instead used as bargaining chips by corrupt politicians to enrich themselves.
'The result is a collapsing municipality, rampant underdevelopment, and the erosion of public trust in local governance.
'We call on the South African Police Service and the Hawks to urgently investigate the voice note and the individuals implicated.
'We will also be writing to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to institute an independent investigation into all procurement and project management processes in Mandeni over the past five years,' the party said in a statement.
bongani.hans@inl.co.za
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