Pretoria - The Auditor-General’s (AG) office will on Monday commence with its work to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration at the Westonaria Local Municipality.
Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo made the announcement at the weekend.
The municipality is among others responsible for Bekkersdal, which has been engulfed in service delivery protests, which led to the destruction of public property that runs into millions, in recent months.
The announcement follows the meeting on Friday between the provincial and national Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), the provincial Department of Human Settlements, Westonaria Local Municipality, office of the Auditor-General and the Greater Westonaria Concerned Residents Association (GWCRA) to discuss allegations of impropriety against the Westonaria Municipality and the Bekkersdal Urban Renewal Project (BURP).
“The Auditor-General will be commencing with its work on Monday and the whole process will take three months to complete,” MEC Mamabolo said.
MEC Mamabolo said all the affected parties will be interviewed and necessary documents will be obtained in order to get to the bottom of the issues raised by the residents’ association.
“The Westonaria Local Municipality has also committed to make results of the Auditor-General findings available to the Bekkersdal community,” MEC Mamabolo said.
He also committed to further engagement to find lasting solutions and to create a platform of dialogue which has saw protests declining in the area. - SAnews.gov.za
