VDM suspends MM and CFO over VBS debacle

The council of Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) has taken a decision to suspend its two senior officials, Mugivhela Rambado and Nyiko Mchavi.

The decision to suspend the two was taken on Tuesday afternoon during a council sitting held at the council chamber in the municipal offices in Thohoyandou. The suspension with full pay follows the notice of intention to suspend that was given to the two a week ago.

Rambado and Mchavi are accused of being responsible for the R300 million investment at VBS, which was against the law. The investment was also done against Treasury’s advice.

The spokesperson for the municipality, Mr Matodzi Ralushai, confirmed the suspension. “The suspension will lapse after three months, end of January next year.  A decision will be taken after three months, based on the findings of investigations.”

Meanwhile, a vote of no confidence against the executive mayor, Cllr Florence Radzilani, which was brought by the EFF, failed on the same day. An EFF member in Vhembe, Cllr Patrick Mashau, brought the motion to Speaker Fridah Nkondo, basing his arguments on the VBS report that implicates Radzilani and other people in the looting of the bank’s money.

The motion, which Nkondo said was based of unfounded allegations, was supported by the DA. It failed, however, as the 27 ANC councillors voted against the motion, with eight members from opposition parties voting for it. Radzilani was not available during the sitting.  Cllr Rudzani Ludere acted in her position as executive mayor.

The suspension of the two officers comes hardly 24 hours after the ANC’s Integrity Committee has recommended to the national executive committee of the ANC that members of the party implicated in the VBS saga should be directed to step aside from all leadership positions and activities of the ANC.

In the meantime, the Collins Chabane municipality in Malamulele has also reportedly put two officials on suspension. They are the chief financial officer, Mr Eddy Makamu, and the municipal manager, Ms Tsakani Ngobeni.

Date:03 November 2018

By: Ndivhuwo Musetha

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