‘Arrests but no accountability’: Concerns raised over lack of prosecution of government officials

Dozens of senior officials in Limpopo, including mayors, municipal managers and chief financial officers, as well as prominent tenderpreneurs, have been arrested on allegations of fraud, corruption, malfeasance and money laundering, but most have not been convicted.

This has irked many in the province, including opposition parties.

The DA this week released a statement expressing displeasure over the arrest of a number of senior government officials in Limpopo by law enforcement agencies, with few or no convictions in court.

Many arrests but few convictions

“We welcome the arrest of officials in Maruleng and Blouberg local municipalities, but arrests alone are not accountability; cases must be properly prosecuted and convictions secured where guilt is proved,” said the DA’s provincial chairperson Jacques Smalle.

Smalle said that despite a number of arrests across Limpopo, the DA could verify only a handful of recent convictions of municipal officials.

Those arrested are facing fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering allegations in different courts around Limpopo. While welcoming the arrests, the party said calls for thorough investigations and prosecutions were mounting.

According to a statement issued by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, Maruleng officials were accused of diverting building plan application fees into personal bank accounts instead of into the municipality’s account. The municipality is alleged to have lost more than R1.1 million.

Smalle said the low number of successful prosecutions is worrying.

“The DA could verify only a handful of convictions of municipal officials in recent years, including three former municipal officials convicted in VBS-related cases – all of whom received wholly suspended prison sentences.

“The prolonged case involving Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni demonstrates this point. Allegations concerning an approximately R2.5 million tender date back to her tenure as municipal manager of Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. More than two years after the Hawks initially referred the matter to the NPA, a decision on prosecution has still not been announced,” he said.

Cases without prosecution

Smalle said recent cases illustrated the scale of the issue.

Earlier this month, Blouberg Municipal Manager Refilwe Ramothwala was arrested in connection with an investigation into an allegedly irregular municipal security services tender and faces 73 charges, including fraud, theft and money laundering. Ramothwala previously served as municipal manager of Maruleng, where he was suspended in August 2015 over allegations of misconduct before later joining Blouberg.

Also this month, a service provider to Mogalakwena Local Municipality was arrested in connection with an alleged R45 million fraud, corruption and money laundering case, with the Hawks indicating that further arrests are expected.

Earlier this year, the Hawks arrested senior officials at Molemole Local Municipality as part of an alleged fraud and corruption investigation into municipal procurement. The investigation subsequently widened, and further arrests followed.

Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality has also seen arrests this year, including that of a former legal manager and, more recently, officials attached to the Marble Hall Driving Licence Testing Centre in connection with an alleged cash-for-driving-licences scheme.

“We welcome these arrests. But arrests alone are not accountability. Limpopo must see these cases properly investigated and prosecuted without delay,” said Smalle. “An arrest makes headlines, but a conviction and real consequences establish accountability.”

‘Municipalities must act’

The DA provincial leader also called on municipalities not to wait for the justice system to act.

“Where sufficient evidence of misconduct exists, internal disciplinary action and consequence management must follow. Limpopo does not need another cycle of allegations, arrests and cases that disappear into the system,” Smalle said.

Meanwhile, Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said corruption must be tackled quickly before it spreads like cancer. Speaking in Polokwane during a law-enforcement vehicle handover, Ramathuba emphasised that South Africa’s systemic challenges with illegal immigration and lawlessness are enabled by compromised internal systems and corrupt public servants who take bribes.