CONCERN OVER CRITICAL POSITIONS

Bongani Tshabalala

FICKSBURG-The Setsoto Local Municipality in the eastern Free State will soon have to provide the Public Accounts and Finance Committee with a detailed report regarding vacant strategic positions in the municipality.

This, after they were heavily criticised for not separating the duties of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Municipal Manager (MM). It was revealed before the committee during the week of various committees’ visits to the municipalities in the province that the municipality’s CFO Nicolas Lefa Moletsane has been appointed as the acting MM and has been working in both positions. 

The committee, led by the Chief Whip of the Free State Legislature, Vusi Tshabalala, lambasted the municipality for this, highlighting that it is “going to cause serious problems for the municipality”.

Tshabalala said the entire council is liable for the debacle and the municipality must take swift action regarding the position of the CFO and MM.

Moletsane is fulfilling the duties of the Municipal Manager months after the municipality made national headlines over the suspension of former Mayor  Nthateng Maoke regarding issues with her citizenship. She was suspended following allegations that she is a Lesotho citizen and was wrongfully appointed by the municipality.

It has been previously reported on how investigations into Maoke’s citizenship followed complaints that had been raised about her Identity Document.

Meanwhile, the EFF Provincial leader Mandisa Makheseni and the DA’s Free State member of Legislature David van Vuuren have called on the municipality and the provincial Cogta department to clarify issues pertaining to Setsoto and to provide an update regarding investigations into the MM Sugar Ramakarane who has been placed on special leave.