By 
MANTSOPA — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally demanded the immediate withdrawal of Mantsopa Local Municipality’s Corporate Director as Chairperson of the Municipal Disciplinary Board. The opposition party warns that the appointment, pushed through by the ANC majority, severely compromises the board’s independence and threatens to derail high-stakes corruption investigations.
The controversy erupted following a recent Mantsopa Council meeting convened to appoint the final member of the disciplinary board. Instead of reinforcing impartial oversight, the ANC-led majority voted to place the municipality’s own Corporate Director at the helm of the anti-corruption unit.
A Breach of Regulatory Intent
According to the DA, the appointment flies in the face of the Municipal Finance Management Regulations. Under these regulations, municipal councils are legally mandated to establish an independent disciplinary board. The sole purpose of this body is to investigate allegations of financial misconduct objectively and monitor disciplinary proceedings against alleged transgressors.
By installing an internal executive to chair an oversight body, critics argue the municipality is effectively allowing the administration to grade its own homework.
“The appointment of the municipality’s Corporate Director as chairperson of this board will compromise the disciplinary board’s independence,” said DA Councillor Tim Mpakathe. “It will not help the Council to deal effectively with any case of financial misconduct.”
High Stakes: The R15.3 Million Cathcart Dam Scandal
The battle over the board’s leadership is not merely academic; it has immediate consequences for active, multi-million-rand corruption cases.
Chief among these is the ongoing investigation into the Cathcart dam project, where R15.3 million in irregular expenditure has been flagged. The municipal council previously referred the matter to the disciplinary board after senior managers were implicated in the financial fallout.
The DA argues that the close proximity of these implicated senior managers to the newly appointed Corporate Director creates a glaring conflict of interest. This internal entanglement, the party warns, will inevitably jeopardize the objectivity and effectiveness of the board’s investigation.
The DA’s Proposed Solution:
- Total Impartiality: The DA formally proposed that the board be chaired by an external, independent member who is not an employee of the municipality.
- Immediate Withdrawal: A formal letter has been sent to the Municipal Manager demanding the Corporate Director step down from the chair position.
- Relentless Oversight: The opposition vows to use its council oversight powers to force a reversal of the decision.
The Road Ahead
As public funds intended for critical infrastructure and service delivery continue to be diverted by financial mismanagement, the DA maintains that there is no time to waste. Councillor Mpakathe emphasized that the party will maintain relentless pressure on the local government to ensure that corruption cases are treated with the utmost urgency and impartiality.
Whether the Municipal Manager will heed the call to protect the board’s independence—or whether the ANC majority will dig its heels in—remains the central question in Mantsopa’s ongoing battle for accountability.
