Unpaid R300 million at the center of changes at Mangaung Metro that include controversial figures.

African National Congress councilors in Mangaung Metro are up in arms following news that National Treasury has made changes to the national representative and support team.

According to the leaked letter signed by Enock Godongwane, Finance Minister, Paul Maseko who was introduced in July as government representative is sick and therefore replaced by Gugu Malaza while Lulamile Mapholoba, governance expert is replaced by Mxolisi Nkosi.

“Ms. Malaza has been a previous Chief Financial Officer at Ekurhuleni Metro and has held several senior positions in both the public and private sectors. The change is necessitated due to the ill health of Mr. Paul Maseko,” reads the statement.

With regards to Nkosi Godongwane said, “Mr. Nkosi was a municipal manager in several municipalities in Kwazulu Natal. He has experience with the provincial government and was a former CEO of the O R Tambo Development Agency.”

A quick search on google show Malaza resigned from Ekurhuleni after being suspended for failing to disclose she was fired by SABC in 2014 for alleged procurement irregularities while Nkosi was suspended by Msunduzi Municipality in 2016 over the alleged use of proceeds from nearly an R300 million infrastructure upgrade.

When did the wheels came off, our sources at Mangaung Metro say everything collapsed three weeks ago.

“We were invited to a meeting by Minister Mamoloko Kubayi who is also vying for the deputy president position in the ANC national conference and she instructed the former acting CFO Timothy Sediti to pay service providers at Vista Park and the acting CFO refused.

Suddenly he is replaced? Mind you when we left the meeting we saw Mxolisi Dukwana who was listening for the other room.”

Another source said it’s very interesting that a whole Minister of Finance would dump people who have history and clouds over the public purses to come to fix Mangaung Metro.

“The Municipality is facing serious challenges and I find it very interesting the whole Minister of Finance finds it appropriate to dump people who have been fingered in financial misconducts as the right people to fix Mangaung.

In our province we have Mokete Duma who has vast local government experience, we have Masechaba Sesing who has a clean audit at Treasury and worked for Auditor General why can’t they be roped in and save thousands on accommodation.”

At this stage, it is not clear if all the changes have been communicated with the council or Minister will just do as he pleases.

ANC Mangaung official who spoke on condition of anonymity said things are not as bad as they are portrayed.

“The Municipality is paying salaries, the loans are serviced without fail and none of you are highlighting the positives.

What is also funny about these changes in Troika is we all see and read about these in the media, the IPC has never released a statement but we are going to fight them head-on including those who are saying they are working with the DA.

Come Monday we will fight this.”

Minister Kubayi could not be reached for her comment.

This is a developing story.

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