Port St John’s Local Municipality has revealed that it has
lost R1.6 million through unauthorized and irregular transactions from its
municipal bank account.
This was revealed by the municipality’s municipal public
accounts committee chairperson Councillor Sivuyile Mavimbela during a media
briefing at the Port St John’s Town Hall
today, January 12.
He says the money was lost through transfers to credit cards
of people not associated with the municipality.
“These unauthorized and irregular transactions were
done in tranches of between R50 000 and R100 000 from
July to December
2021. These monies were transferred to credit cards of individuals with no
association with the municipality,” Mavimbela revealed.
He said cases had been opened with the police and
investigations were ongoing.
Mavimbela says the MPAC has recommended the suspension of
the municipal Chief Financial Officer as an accounting officer on the matter.
He says they will also approach the provincial Department of
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to conduct a forensic
investigation on the matter.
