More burning questions regarding Bitou Municipality’s forensic investigation
Last week’s article on Bitou’s imminent forensic investigation [read it on page 3 of the November 28 edition at www.cxpress.co.za] makes for some very worrying reading for any taxpayer in Plettenberg Bay.
Even more worrying was the frivolous reply by the spokesman for Bitou Municipality (read: ANC), Mr James Sijama, in a local paper.
According to him, this is all an effort by the MEC for Local Government to bully Bitou because it is not governed by the DA. In his reply, Mr Sijama thinks nothing of criticising the judge of the Western Cape High Court.
The judge stated that each complaint was sufficient to warrant forensic investigation and that the municipality’s lack of cooperation was “unlawful” and an attempt to cover up.
Saying that they were not given sufficient time to reply to the allegations is just a lot of hogwash. We all know that the forensic auditors – sent to save Bitou from bankruptcy – were refused entry to the municipal buildings and that employees were threatened in case they should speak to any of these auditors.
Can Mr Sijama also explain why the municipality had to get a loan from a local bank for R54-million after spending the R60-million that was in the bank when the ANC took over?
Once again, like in the recent past, taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the High Court application. I am totally fed up with the way my money is being spent by incompetent thieves.
At almost every ANC-governed municipality in this country, corruption is the order of the day and service delivery has ground to a halt. Yet Mr Sijama wants us to believe it is not the case in Bitou.
Overburdened Tax payer Plett
( Yet another author of a ‘letter to the editor’ who chooses to remain anonymous… Perhaps that’s the best plan when bandying about labels like ‘incompetent thieves’?
We stick to our tolerance of nom de plums in a bid to ensure that this page continues to serve its purpose as a forum for discussion and debate but reiterate that letters acknowledging the identity of their authors will enjoy preference. – Eds.)
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