Mogalakwena does Limpopo proud

At the recent SALGA Provincial Members Assembly held in Tzaneen, Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha, presented awards to Mogalakwena municipality’s chief financial officer, Komape Mphago, for being voted the best CFO in Limpopo and also to Clr Tlou Kgaphola as the best finance chairperson in the province.
Mokopane also received an unqualified audit opinion for the 2011/12 financial year and received an award as Limpopo’s greenest municipality, which secured it a place among the country’s top five municipalities when it comes to financial sustainability.
“This is a huge honour for us,” said Mogalakwena municipal manager, William Kekana, at a special
celebratory function on Tuesday. “Not one of the major metropolitan municipalities has the honour of being among the top five most sustainable,” he said.
While Mogalakwena mayor, Tlhalefi Mashemaite, and most of his supporting councillors were not
present at the meeting,
Kekana said these awards show that Mogalakwena municipality is serious about good governance.
“We do have a few rotten apples, but council has acted responsibly by commissioning a forensic audit to get to the bottom of money that disappeared. This shows that the majority of Mogalakwena’s councillors are not into looting,” he said.
Kekana said only when the forensic audit is completed, will it be clear what happened to the more than R1,2 million in the mayoral vote and other votes in the past three months. “Only then will we know how the use of that money will impact on our next audit.”
He said since his return many officials, managers and even politicians have confided in him that they have been subjected to a reign of “the worst terror ever” in his absence. “They have been intimidated and forced into signing illegal documents,” Kekana said.
He also lashed out at the practice of the municipality having preferred suppliers. “Our job is to secure the best value for our ratepayers’ money when we
procure.”
He applauded councillors for acting wisely in the difficult times the municipality experienced during the last few months.“You have shown that you are committed to intervention when things go wrong rather than political interference for your own gain.”
– Jasper Raats/Mokopane