Charges laid against Free State officials for corruption of more than R50m

Free State Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Patricia Kopane has laid criminal charges against Nala municipality officials for alleged corruption of more than R50 million.

This followed a KPMG forensic report in which officials and councilors were implicated. This report has not yet been tabled in the council, but was sighted as one of the reasons why National Treasury intervened and stopped any further transfers to the municipality last year.

However, the decision was reversed last week after the municipality was found to have made progress, according to National Treasury.

Kopane said the alleged incidents of corruption include R1.4 million paid for “cool drinks” to contractors who were meant to be upgrading the toilets of residents still using the bucket system.

“A total of R6 million was paid to a company for an electronic accounts system but over four years later the municipality is still writing its accounts by hand,” she explained.

Kopane said the report also detailed how officials were paid double salaries, and fuel for 207 private cars was paid for by the municipality.

“The Nkandla-style spending of R230 000 on a security wall around the mayor’s home also needs to be investigated,” said Kopane.

She said she was laying the charges so that police could begin the investigation into alleged criminal offences in terms of public finance law.

“Those involved should be prosecuted,” she said.