Africa-Press – South-Africa. The MK Party has called for a forensic investigation into water board members’ payments while also demanding the resignation of the minister, Pemmy Majodina.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question, the ministry said members of water boards received payments of nearly R50m a year for attending meetings.
According to the MK Party. the reply revealed “abuse of power, betrayal of the public and manipulation of public funds”.
Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said almost R50m was spent in a year on board members’ payments while there is a water crisis caused by water outages and water-shedding.
“If these water boards were functioning effectively, there would be no need for protracted water-shedding or the rolling outages now devastating communities,” he said.
The payments include:
advocate Vusi Khuzwayo of uMngeni-uThukela Water received R1.4m for attending 13 meetings plus an additional R179,000 for travelling expenses;
the chairperson of the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, a state-owned entity charged with financing and implementing bulk raw water infrastructure projects, Precious Sibiya, received R1.2m for attending 10 meetings; and
Lepelle Northern Water’s Nndweleni Mphephu earned more than R1m for 10 meetings and an additional R139,000 for travelling expenses.
Ndhlela said the board members should be held accountable.
“We demand a full forensic audit by the Special Investigating Unit and a referral of findings to the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal prosecution.”
The party also called for the ministerial memo limiting board meeting hours to be provided to parliament and for a moratorium on payments to water boards until the audit is complete.
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