Note to editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Eric Motloung.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the arrests of Executive Mayor Tseki Tseki and former Municipal Manager Busa Molatseli in relation to charges of theft, fraud, corruption, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), and money laundering.
This positive development follows the DA’s call for the investigation and provision of evidence to the Hawks through, a DA member of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.
Arrest warrants were issued by the Magistrate on 12 May 2023. The investigation revealed that Molatseli had submitted a memo to Mayor Tseki, requesting a back payment of his salary. Shockingly, Tseki approved the payment without seeking council approval, resulting in funds being disbursed to Molatseli.
Both accused individuals were apprehended, yesterday on 12 June 2023 and subsequently appeared before the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court, where they were granted bail of R5, 000 each. The case has been remanded to 10 August 2023.
The DA remains committed to working closely with law enforcement agencies to combat corruption and maladministration. We will continue to advocate for good governance and accountability in Dihlabeng. To this end, we will write to Speaker Nthabeleng Mofokeng, urging an urgent council meeting in line with the code of conduct for councillors. We also call for an immediate multi-party whippery to ensure discipline and decorum.
Corruption undermines public trust, hampers service delivery, and has a direct impact on the community. The DA will continue to prioritize the fight against corruption to restore faith in local government and ensure that taxpayers’ money is used for the benefit of all.