​On Wednesday 5th January 2022, the Executive Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse, received a complaint of an attempted bribery from Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Economic Development, Councillor Nkuli Mbundu.

MMC Mbundu informed the Executive Mayor that he received a request for a meeting from a senior official in the City to share insights into the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC). At the meeting the official shared his insights into the MTC and went to the extent of motivating for the MTC to be retained as a provider of City-Wide Wi-Fi and related services to the City.

At the end of the meeting the MMC was given a packet by the official. Uneasy about this exchange the MMC searched the packet and discovered that it contained a bottle of whiskey and R3000 in cash. The MMC subsequently contacted the official to inform him that he could not accept it and handed the packet back.
After informing the Executive Mayor the MMC officially laid a complaint with the City’s Group Forensic Investigation Services (GFIS). Both the MMC and the official were questioned by GFIS.

Consequently, the following actions have been taken:

• The official concerned has been placed on special leave.
• Investigations have commenced. These investigations will include taking of statements, acquisition of various forms of evidence and the production of a report.
• GFIS has also handed the matter over to the Hawks in terms of legislation pertaining to allegations of corrupt activities.
• An expedited security threat assessment has been initiated to cover any risk of harm to whistleblowers involved.

“The Multi-Party Government has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, a cancer in our society where for far too long, government officials, leaders and other stakeholders have bandied together to advance their narrow financial interests at the expense of residents”, says Executive Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse.
Continuing she says, “The effects of corruption are well known to us all, it spirits away much needed resources, diminishing the ability of government to better the lives of all residents”.

She added that the Executive Leadership of the City was resolute in its position that corruption was not a victimless crime and would not be tolerated under the Leadership’s watch but be dealt with harshly.

The matter is now under investigation by law enforcement authorities.

ENDS

For media enquiries contact:

Kwezi Sogoni                                                                                                           
Private Office of the Executive Mayor
073 233 0087
or
Sabelo Chalufu
Office of the MMC: Economic Development
083 702 4938