MPAC chair slams lack of support…as council turns up heat on MM

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – Tensions flared at the Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP) local municipality council sitting, as Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) chairperson Mandla Holley vented his frustrations over the lack of support from both the municipal administration and council.

Holley’s emotional plea painted a bleak picture of a committee struggling to fulfil its oversight role due to missing documents, inadequate resources, and a neglected office.

He did not hold back as he addressed the council on February 25 during a council sitting held at the municipality’s new council chambers, describing the dire state of MPAC operations.

“The office we are using, I am even ashamed to call it an office. We don’t have a printer, and we are forced to run up and down the municipality looking for one or even go to a nearby internet café,” he lamented.

He further revealed that the office was in such poor condition that it leaked when it rained, damaging critical documents. But the real issue, he stressed, was the delay in receiving necessary documents from the office of Municipal Manager (MM) Motshoahai Mofokeng.

“We need your support. When we ask for documents from the MM’s office, we need them on time so that we can perform our functions. I fail to understand why we have to write letters just to get documents we need. I am pleading with the accounting officer, if MPAC doesn’t perform its function, we will not be able to secure the grant money due to Maluti-a-Phofung. I am literally on my knees. We will end up losing our treasury grants because of MPAC’s failure to do its job,” Holley warned.

His concerns were backed by former MPAC chairperson, councillor Chikota Mkwanazi, who acknowledged the difficulties faced by MPAC and urged the municipal manager to step up.

“I am asking you, MM, to assist the current MPAC chair because I can relate to the challenges he is raising. You may be new to this municipality, but let me tell you, when a person requests documents here, they might only receive them four months later,” Mkwanazi said.

Facing mounting pressure, Municipal Manager (MM) Mofokeng admitted that the situation was far from ideal. However, he insisted he had not been fully aware of the extent of MPAC’s struggles.

“I am not going to defend myself against myself. I am failing you in this institution. Some of these issues, I am hearing about for the first time in this meeting,” he said.

Mofokeng explained that his only previous engagement with MPAC was through the committee’s researcher, who had requested certain documents, which were provided, though apparently insufficient for Holley’s report. In an effort to resolve the matter, he announced that the municipality’s risk manager, Moses Dlamini, and internal auditor, Mxolisi Xuma, would now be responsible for MPAC-related matters.

But the council was unimpressed by Mofokeng’s explanations. Speaker of Council, Mandlenkosi Dlamini, issued a direct order to the MM, setting a strict deadline.

“We are not interested in the risk manager or internal auditor. How you get these documents is up to you. As the council, the person we will hold accountable is you, MM. You have today and tomorrow, by 16:30 on Wednesday, February 26, all documents requested by MPAC must be in their office. That is a council decision,” Dlamini declared.

Turning to Holley, he added: “MPAC chair, if you do not have the documents by 16:30 tomorrow, go to Section 79(1)(c) and get a summons next door, it’s just across the road.”

Holley’s emotional plea, the MM’s reluctant admissions, and the council’s ultimatum have laid bare the deep dysfunction within Maluti-a-Phofung’s governance structures.

If MPAC fails to function properly, the municipality risks losing crucial grant funding, something a financially strained MAP cannot afford.